


Trollskïr

by AmberDread



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Biting, Blood and Violence, F/M, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Original Character(s), Reylo - Freeform, Smut, Swearing, Trollskir, Vampires, ish, mild dubcon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-05-24 15:08:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14956952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberDread/pseuds/AmberDread
Summary: Set in an alternate medieval-ish reality.Kylo and the Knights of Ren go to finish their training with Luke at his remote castle in a quiet valley, far from the opulence and distractions of Snoke’s royal court.There he meets Rey, a mysterious girl who is not all she seems and he is intrigued despite himself.There will be smut.Tags may be updated as this progresses.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve been working sporadically on this and another multi chapter for a few months (though I’ve tried to concentrate on my first fic, From One Spark To The Horizon Wide). 
> 
> Trollskïr is somewhat inspired by the album Slør by Eivör Pálsdóttir, some Dwarven curses and my weird, rampant imagination. 
> 
> I will freely admit this is one a bit random.
> 
> Let me know if you think I should add a glossary in the notes… Also, comments give me life and make me write more, so please do let me know what you think ♥
> 
> This isn’t going to be the monster One Spark turned out to be, perhaps 10 chapters, give or take. I will try and update once or twice a week.

****^V^****

 

Kylo Ren and his Knights made their way through the Slør valley’s golden grasslands, their black armour soaking up the merciless heat of the sun.

Why his uncle had settled here was beyond him. It was hot and full of peasants, no society and no culture. Just farms and cattle, empty countryside surrounded by imposing mountains.

He desperately wanted to take his helmet off and wipe his sweating face, but that would be a sign of weakness. And Kylo Ren was not weak.

Besides, they were not far now from Luke’s castle, Ljósur. There would be water and shade, and his mother had assured him that the hot springs that fed the castle baths were second to none.

The peasants they passed along the dusty road scrambled to get out of the Knights way, as if they were unused to giving way to their betters. His lip curled inside his helmet.

They were just leaving the last village before the short road up to Ljósur, when he had to rein in sharply or be trampled by an unruly group of young stallions that trotted quickly across their path. He and the Knights had to keep tight control on their destriers as the strays ran by.

To Kylo’s surprise and not a little anger, the last horse in the line had a rider, waving a long, narrow switch as they urged the horses onwards. The rider was slender, skin browned by the sun, riding bareback in a relaxed posture, completely ignoring the others on the road. Despite having no saddle or stirrups, the horse they were riding was perfectly behaved; moving smoothly, as if the rider and horse were one being, controlled by one purpose.

Kylo could see Javiell uncoiling the whip couched at his hip, but he didn’t stop him. This sort of behaviour was unconscionable and should be punished.

The whip cracked out with a snap - Javiell was a master. It licked the knaves back, drawing a crimson line in the thin sand coloured fabric.

What Kylo had not expected, was the high cry of a girl, but even less, was the swift motion of her reaching into her boot with barely a look and a small snarl on her face as she threw a narrow dagger straight at Javiell.

Her aim was true, even on the fly like that and if Javiell had not been wearing armour, he would be wounded, or dead. The girl seemed to realise what she had just done, register that they were not just the usual riffraff and he saw fear ripple across her face as she comprehended whom she had just attacked. As well it should. With a roar, the Knights surged after her, expecting to ride her down in a few seconds, leaving their baggage bearers behind them on the road.

The girl was quick though, her horse unburdened as the Knight’s horses were, and despite the blood starting to soak through her tunic she urged her horse on, leaning low against his neck as he stretched it out, the other stallions mirroring him, caught up in the moment.

They were going to lose her. “Leonmar, bring her down, but don't kill her.”

Kylo found himself strangely curious; and she needed to be punished, yet Luke may be angry with him, if his first act before even reaching Luke’s castle was to maim or kill one of his peasants, no matter her crimes.

Leonmar used his sling, he only used it amongst friends as others were usually derisive over the use of a peasant weapon; but it had its uses, one being a good way to halt someone without killing them or their mount.

The river smoothed pebble Leonmar used hit the horse the girl was riding in in the rear left leg, it was well aimed and the animal screamed in shock and pain, though it would recover from its wound. It lurched to a stop, holding it rear leg up as it rolled its eye in distress. After a few seconds the girl flung herself from the animal and started running. She was fast, her long legs barely touching the ground as she ran. But there was no way she was going to outrun them now.

They weren’t far from her when she seemed to realise this and she turned to face them, dropping into a defensive crouch, the glint of steel in both hands. Her skin was pale under her tan, fear and blood loss presumably. And yet, she looked more angry than scared.

“Ish kaquin. Ai durugnul!” She spat at them as they reined their horses in to circle her as she revolved slowly. Kylo was interested to see that the blades in her hands were actually Kurambiks. They were outlawed in most parts of the Tokuni, though perhaps Luke had not yet implemented the ban here in the Slør.

“You will put down your weapons and surrender.” Ingalan said firmly in basic. Kylo watched the girl, her eyes flickered and he was fairly certain she understood them. She merely made a rude gesture at them and went for Zainmar’s horse.

Rather than hurt the animal she sliced the leather attaching the bit in its mouth, then slid underneath it in an attempt to escape, cutting one of the stirrups as she went.

Javiell’s whip caught her arm and Zainmar leaned down easily and grabbed hold of her by the scruff of her neck, armour deflecting the thrusts of her free hand.

She continued to snarl and struggle, spitting curses at them even after she was disarmed and slung belly down across the front of Javiell’s horse, wrists bound behind her.

“If you don’t stop struggling, I will knock you out.” Javiell told her conversationally as they started back to the road that led to the castle, he pressed a finger into the wound on her back and she hissed.

After spitting another curse, she added, “Let me go! You have no right!” Javiell looked over at Kylo who gave him a small nod, and Javiell used the heavy pommel on his long knife to deftly hit her over the back of the head. She went limp immediately.

Kylo studied the Kurambiks they had recovered from her, along with a few throwing knives. They were simple yet well made, a curiosity when added to her oddly cut peasant clothes and her obvious skills on horseback.

The rest of their journey was uneventful, there was barely a mile to go up the winding road that led to the sandstone castle of Ljósur, which perched on the top of a hill.

Kylo decided the view was quite pleasant, the rolling gold and green grasslands spread out before them, the darker green sides of the mountains and hills either side of the valley fairly lush. Admittedly the roads were dusty and some of the farmed fields looked very dry, but the ribbon of blue threading through it all, gave some relief to the eyes.  

Stable hands and servants scurried out and attended them as the Knights dismounted. Kylo walked over to Javiell’s mount to study the girl more closely. Javiell had given her quite a crack on the head, and there was blood in her messy hair, some had trickled along the line of her jaw.

“You!” He pointed imperiously at a stable hand who was staring worriedly at the still form draped over the horse. “Bring the girl.” He instructed and turned to head towards the castle door.

He’d barely gone ten paces when he saw his uncle coming towards them. “Nephew! I did not expect you till tomorrow, you made good time. I hope it was a pleasant-” Luke paused, his relaxed expression becoming concerned. “What is this?” He said as the stable hand moved nearer. Luke hurried by Kylo to peer at the girl, gently turning her head so he could see her face.

When Luke looked back at Kylo, his face was now angry. Kylo blinked and pulled off his helmet, handing it to his squire. “You know her? She threw a knife at Javiell Ren. It was an insult we could not ignore.”

Luke merely sighed, “Go and put her in her cot, and fetch the mender please, Finn.” Then he turned back to Kylo and the Knights. “Here in Slør, we do _not_ brutalise the peasants. While under my roof you will not harm them unless reasonably provoked, and-” Kylo cut him off angrily, “I don’t think you understand me, Uncle. That girl threw a knife. If Javiell Ren had not been wearing armour, he would be wounded or worse.”

Luke merely raised his eyebrows. “She has a habit of doing that, yes.” The way he said it sounded almost… _fond._ “But she only ever does it if she feels threatened.”

The unspoken question hung in the air for a moment, then Luke turned to the other Knights. “Please, be welcome, go and refresh yourselves. There are servants inside who will attend to you. There will be time for proper introductions once you have had a chance to wash your journey from your skin.”

Kylo gave the Knights a nod and they left he and Luke standing alone together. “You did not tell me everything, I think, Kylo.” Luke said softly as a servant hurried out and handed Kylo a damp towel for his face and a mug of water.

Kylo didn’t answer till he had at least wiped his face and downed some of the water. His mother was right, the water here was the purest he had ever tasted.

“What is more, I’d like to know where all my horses are.” Luke added as Kylo drank.

“Your horses?” Kylo asked surprised, “She is one of your slaves then? Why do you allow her to carry blades?”

Luke rolled his eyes. Kylo had forgotten how unrefined his uncle could be, no wonder he had got on so well with Kylo’s father.

“There are no slaves in the Slør, Kylo. I have servants, who earn a wage. Rey is my horse wrangler. She has a strong sense of, shall we say, _self-preservation._ But enough of that, what exactly happened?”

Kylo shifted, he was unused to having to give explanations for his actions. “She rode straight across the road in front of us, herding a large group of stallions. We had to stop or be trampled. I could not allow such a lack of disrespect to go unpunished. Javiell caught her across the back with his whip, it was just one lick.” He realised he was sounding defensive and shut his mouth.

“And the head wound?” Luke asked in a deceptively mild tone. Kylo shrugged his massive shoulders. “I knew you would be upset if I had her killed, so I was bringing her to you to punish as your custom. She refused to remain still.”

Luke closed his eyes briefly, “You have been too long at Snoke’s court, it would seem. You cannot go around just killing like that. There is no honour in it. While you are here you will bring anyone you think has wronged you or your Knights to me, _unharmed_. If a girl takes your fancy but is not willing, you will find another or visit a cathouse. Make sure your people understand this… Now, I will send someone to try and round up the horses, in what direction were they headed?”

Kylo gave Luke directions as best as he could then went to bathe properly and change out of his armour and travel clothes.

 

The baths turned out to be large, fed by a bubbling spring that was so hot it would take the skin of your hand off, or so the attendant told Kylo. He could well believe it, it steamed and must well up from deep within the burning earth.

The water was a balm to his aching muscles and as he went to sit on the stone underwater bench with the other Knights, Kylo felt the tension leach out of him.

He relayed his uncles ‘rules’ to the others. They weren’t particularly happy about them. “Well. I like a challenge.” Zainmar said in a rallying tone, “And I doubt the girls here will be much of one, just a few courtly compliments should do it. Though Phasma may have a harder time of it.” They laughed. Phasma merely rolled her eyes at Zainmar and punched him in the shoulder.

 

The evening meal was simple yet satisfying. They ate the with Luke out on a terrace, watching as the sun descended behind the mountains, painting the valley in a red that faded to violet, to a soft dark blue, until the stars came out to shine in the darkness.

 

****^V^****


	2. Chapter 2

****^V^****

Over the next few days, Kylo and the Knights adjusted to the routine of the castle. They were here to learn from Luke, who despite his age and peace loving demeanor, was a master swordsman and weapons master, as well as one of the best tacticians in Tokuni.

The Knights were all in their early twenties, on the cusp of greatness, already with much prowess to their names; this was where they would be refined, honed.

Which, Kylo mused, was slightly ironic when you took in the surroundings and the general populace. He supposed the lack of distractions a city or palace had to offer would help them all focus. Or so Kylo thought.

Kylo and the other male Knights (so everyone other than Phasma) had taken to sleeping later than usual as Luke attended to the running of the castle and Slør early in the mornings.

Phasma, (who was one of those insufferable people who got up early because they liked it) joined the rest of them while they ate a late breakfast. She was covered in sweat, warm cheeked and she was smirking to herself as she sat down.

“You work up such a sweat all on your own?” Leonmar asked her, it was a running joke that he and Zainmar hoped to one day go to bed with her, but so far neither had managed it.

Phasma smiled, “No. I had company.” Yet she refused to say anymore, clearly enjoying their curiosity. Late that night, when she had gone to bed they decided to get up early and follow her to see what she was doing and with whom.

 

So as dawn broke, and after splashing cold water on their faces to help wake them up, they followed her. She disappeared around the back of the stables, behind a wall and hedge to where the horses came to be examined when the need arose.

“We can hide behind the wall and look through the hedge.” Zainmar said grinning.

Kylo folded his arms, he was beginning to feel that this was beneath him. He, Javiell and Ingalan held back as the other two ran over to peek through the greenery.

“Zounds!” Leonmar said, clearly whatever he saw was not what he had been expecting.

Zainmar turned back to look at them with a startled grin. Against his better judgement, Kylo found himself joining them behind the hedge.

Phasma was sparring with a lithe, sun kissed creature that spun her body and weapon so fast she was little more than a blur.

After a particularly savage blow to the ribs Phasma called yield, though she was laughing as she did so. Her adversary stopped, went from a blur to stock still in one breath.

It was the horse wrangler. Her brown skin was covered in sweat and she wore just short leggings and a chest wrap. She rested the butt of her staff on the ground as she spoke to Phasma. Her small shoulders rising and falling as she breathed deeply.

Phasma dwarfed her, the Knight was head and shoulders taller than her, and muscled from bearing a sword and armour. The wrangler by contract was lean, with narrow hips and shoulders.

The Knights remained still as they watched the women take up other weapons. Phasma picked up two practice knives while the wrangler picked up two wooden Kurambiks and they squared off again.

“Phasma has the reach and strength, but the Kurambiks are more versatile and maneuverable.” Ingalan said softly next to Kylo, “Plus, the wrangler is fast.”

Kylo nodded, his mouth was strangely dry as he watched. The wrangler looked like she should be fragile, especially when compared to Phasma, and yet she was anything but.

In the end, Phasma won, through sheer strength. Kylo knew however, that if the weapons had been steel, Phasma would have been on the ground and bleeding.

The Knights stood and strolled around the hedge as nonchalantly as they could, while the two women stood talking, sharing a mug of water. “Nice bout, Phas.” Zainmar said easily as they approached.

The wrangler, who had had her back to them, bandaged whip wound clearly showing, almost levitated as she spun with a snarl. Dropping into a defensive crouch, bringing the wooden Kurambiks up in her small fists.

Phasma frowned at the Knights, as if they had done something wrong. “Rey, they will not hurt you,” she said as she lightly touched the girl’s shoulder.

The girl straightened out of her crouch slowly, gave them a defiant glare and hissed, “Imrid amrâd ursul!” Before turning to nod respectfully at Phasma, grabbed her staff, and after throwing another dirty look their way, hopped onto the low wall, threw her staff up onto the stable roof and leapt up, apparently unconcerned by the the cant of the roof and the drop over the cliff edge. She retrieved her staff and walked on bare feet along the apex.

“What the hell was that?” Asked Phasma and they all turned away from the unsettling sight of the girl on the roof to look at their fellow Knight.

“What was what?” Asked Ingalan, clearly as confused as Kylo. Phasma made a disgusted noise, threw up her hands and started collecting her things, muttering to herself as she did so.

When she was done, she stood and stalked past them, if she had a tail she would have been lashing it. Kylo was quite glad she didn’t.

They ran to catch up with her. “I hope you’re happy. You cut our session short, you know. She doesn't like you much.”

“Why not?” Leonmar asked, “You were there when we took her down, same as us.”

Phasma gave them a withering look. “Perhaps, but I looked in on her that first day, when she was seen by the mender. I was curious about her Kurambiks… To be fair she doesn’t much like anyone. Luke mentioned she was half wild when he found her, though I think a less kind person would have called her savage.”

“She still looks savage.” Javiell said, “What language was that?”

Phasma shrugged, “No idea. I think we can assume whatever she said was uncomplimentary.” She ended with a smile.

“You should try wearing what the girl was wearing when we spar.” Leonmar suggested.

Phasma just snorted. “If I did that there would be no challenge whatsoever. It would be rather dull… And she has a name. _Rey_. Use it and she may not hiss curses at you when you next see her.”

Just as they were going through the courtyard, the girl, _Rey_ , was riding out. She was bareback again, she had thrown on a light tunic over her leggings and chest wrap but hadn’t bothered with boots. She threw a universally recognised rude gesture over her shoulder at them and then urged the horse to a trot out the gate.

Kylo found himself oddly unconcerned at her lack of respect. “You said, when Luke found her?” he asked Phasma as they started walking back into the castle.

Phasma nodded. “He doesn’t know where she came from and he said she has never spoken about her time before he found her. All he could say was that she was almost starved to death, covered in wounds and tried to stab him with a whittled piece of wood when he attempted to help her. The language she spoke when he found her was none he recognised, and she had been travelling from the _otherside_ of the Svartideyði… I wouldn’t approach her if I were you, she is free with those knives and seems to be fearful of men in general.”

With that parting shot she left them to gather her other weapons for their session with Luke, and the Knights went to get breakfast.

Kylo couldn’t help his mind wandering back to Phasma’s story as they broke their fast. He wondered how long the girl, _Rey,_ had been with Luke.

 

At supper that night he asked his uncle for more details. Luke raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised. “She’s been here, perhaps... five years. She has an affinity with animals, less so for people, though she seems quite taken with your lady knight.” Kylo smirked to himself over Luke calling Phasma a lady. If Phasma heard that she’d be mortified.

“I didn’t think she would survive her wounds when I found her. Some of them were old and ill healed, others were fresh. It was Artoo and Bebe who found her, he gestured at his two hounds, who lay by the fire pit on the terrace. “I think if it weren’t for them, she would never have let me bring her here… She picked up basic fairly quickly, though she continues to talk to herself or curse others in another tongue. And she had never seen a horse before I carried her on mine… I don’t think I will ever know the full story and I think it unlikely she will ever be completely civilised. But I am very fond of her. She has at least made a few human friends, and she no longer attacks any man that touches her… I think, that wherever she came from, was a very bad place indeed.”

Kylo felt uncomfortable and it took him a while to realise that what he was feeling was guilt. “We saw her sparring with Phasma this morning.” He told Luke, “Did you teach her to fight like that? It was... impressive.”

Luke smiled, there was a hint of pride on his face, “She is quick, isn’t she? I gave her the Kurambiks and helped refine her skills, but she was already a natural fighter when she arrived here. I am grateful to Phasma for the company she is giving to Rey, it is good for her. Though I imagine Rey was none too happy when she realised you had been watching.” He laughed at whatever expression he saw on Kylo’s face.

 

Kylo found he couldn’t sleep that night. Rey fascinated him, and the image of her lithe, sweating form bathed in the morning light kept him awake.

It was two hours past midnight when he gave up and took himself off to the baths. Gandur was a red fingernail in the sky and Veldi was almost full, casting gentle light on the steaming water, making it look more like smoke.

He leaned back, tilting his head up to the sky as he sat on the stone bench underneath the water’s surface. The night was silent save for the chirping of crickets and the occasional cries of nocturnal prey and predators.

Someone sighed, and he jerked his head up, suddenly alert. An outline appeared, moving nearer and he sat up properly making a small noise so he wouldn’t surprise whoever it was moving towards the bench.

Rey appeared out of the moonlit steam, she had already been under the water because her hair was slicked back leaving her shoulders bare.

“Finn? Is that you?” It was the first time he had properly heard her voice without it being stained with anger or fear. She sounded surprisingly delicate.

“I am not Finn.” He answered somewhat awkwardly as she materialised fully. “I am the Harri’s nephew.”

She hissed, folding her arms over her bare chest as she dipped down into the water, “Why are you here, _rukhs?_ ”

Kylo resolutely kept his eyes on her face. “I could not sleep.” He told her truthfully. For some reason, that seemed to take the wind out of her sails somewhat.

She huffed a resigned sigh and came to sit on the bench, though a good four feet away from him. “You will not lay hands on me.” She stated flatly as she sat.

Then promptly seemed to forget about him as she started furiously scrubbing her skin with the sand that was kept by the edge of the bench in covered pots.

The one she was using smelled like honeysuckle. Kylo carefully kept his eyes forward until she hissed, and he looked over to see her wincing in pain.

“Are you well?” He asked her softly. He could see her glare even in the moonlight. “I have sand, in the wound you gave me, _rukhs._ ” Kylo decided it would be unwise to point out it had actually been Javiell that had whipped her, not he.

“Do you require... assistance?” She merely hissed at him for answer, then made a lot of splashing noises as she tried to clean the wound on her own, hissing to herself periodically. She seemed to hiss a lot, Kylo reflected as he listened.

There came an extra loud, elongated hiss after which she moved closer to him. He turned to look at her, she was still glaring at him. “You will help? Please?” The please was said through gritted teeth. Kylo kept a smile off his face as he nodded.

She turned her back to him, shoulders tense as she leaned her neck forwards so he could better see in the moonlight. “I will need to move you slightly,” He said quietly. There was the dip of a nod and he took her shoulders as gently as he could and turned her slightly till the moonlight illuminated her wound completely. She let loose a tiny hiss at the contact but was otherwise silent. There was a lot of sand in the gash which was now bleeding quite a bit. He could see a patchwork of silver scars surrounding it.

He set to work cleaning it, using a soft wash cloth as well as his fingers. Occasionally she would hiss or curse, but he carried on till it was as clean as he could make it. He was disappointed that he no longer had an excuse to touch her. She was still tense under his hands and he reached up to her shoulders, rolling the muscles in his large fingers.

“What is it that you do?” She asked, turning slightly to look at him sideways and he immediately let go of her. She huffed, “I did not say you stop… It feels… good.”

Kylo didn’t speak, but returned his hands to her shoulders, drawing her to sit on the bench at an angle. He worked on her shoulders, then her neck and upper arms, enjoying the feel of her skin under his hands as her muscles relaxed and the soft happy noises she was unconsciously making.

He gently turned her to face him, her eyes were soft now and he risked picking up her arm so he could massage her forearm and hand. She allowed him to. “Why can you not sleep, _rukhs_?” She asked languidly as he switched arms.

He really didn’t want to answer that, so instead asked, “And what does _rukhs_ mean?”

She chuckled lowly. “There is no word for it, in your basic. And nothing like it in this soft land… Give thanks for that.”

He couldn’t think of anyway to answer that, so he just shrugged and said. “My name is Kylo Ren.”

She chuckled again. “I know this, _rukhs._ ” She paused, tilted her head slightly as she regarded him. “But, you seem to have magic in your hands, so not complete _rukhs.”_

He massaged her hand last, working his thumb against the meat of hers whilst his fingers needed the area between her thumb and index finger.

A small moan fell softly left her mouth and she bit her bottom lip for a second, before her eyes flew open and she snatched her hand from his grasp and took a step backwards.

Before she could back away further Kylo said, “You could not sleep either?”

She paused, then shook her head. “I could. But I bathe at night.”

“Why?” Kylo asked, curious but trying not to be too obvious.

She gestured at him. “It is not proper, in the daylight, when men can see.” She watched his face suspiciously, “Your Phasma, she laughs when I say this.”

Kylo was thankful he had contained his chuckle. The idea of such a savage creature also being prudish was greatly amusing. Kylo just nodded, oddly, he felt relaxed enough now that he thought he may sleep. “I think I will turn in.” He said as he stood up.

She hissed slightly and moved back another step as she looked up at him. “You are a giant, _rukhs.”_

Kylo allowed himself a smile, “Or you are very small.”

She snorted. “All you _rakhâs_ are giants, even your Phasma.” She tilted her head, “Luke? He is your kinsman?”

Kylo nodded. “My mother’s brother.”

She tilted her head the other way and frowned. “I do not see it.”

Kylo shrugged and turned to walk towards where he thought the steps were. “Good night.” He said as he left.

He thought she wouldn’t respond but just as he reached the steps she called. “I hope sleep comes to you, giant _rukhs_.”

 

And it did. He slept deeply and if he dreamt, he had no memory of it when he awoke. Unless seeing Rey in the baths had been a dream.

He was half dressed when a knock came at his door, after calling out for whoever it was to enter, (he had assumed it was Luke as the Knights never bothered knocking) he was surprised to see Rey as she took a few steps in, her eyes darting about, resting anywhere except on him.

“Yes?” Was all he could think of to say.

“You have my blades, _rukhs_.” She said flatly. It wasn’t phrased as a question or even a request. “I do.” He turned to the small table by his bed, picking the two Kurambiks and the four throwing knives up, she was still only a few paces from the door so he walked over to give them to her.

She eagerly went to snatch them from him, but he did not release them and she had to look up at his face. “How is your wound? I can check properly now that it is full light to make sure all the sand is out?”

But she shook her head, “No. Finn, he does this for me. It is clean.”

But Kylo still didn’t release the blades, “What would a stable hand know of wounds?” He asked stubbornly.

She huffed a laugh, “Who do you think cleans the horses’ wounds, _rukhs_?”

He let her take her knives, watching as she happily stowed them about her person. “Do you have to use them often? Somewhere like here?”

The look she gave him was devoid of humour, and much older than her apparent youth. “Death can come anywhere, anytime. Even in these soft lands, _rukhs_. You should know that.”

She turned to leave, then paused halfway through the door, drew her arm back in a blur and threw a knife at him. He ducked just in time, and his sword was in his hand before he realised she had made no further move towards him. She just smiled, “You see, _rukhs_ ? _Anytime_.”

It took a while for his heart rate to calm, then he went and retrieved her knife. It was slender and tapered, and very, _very_ sharp. _What would she have done if he hadn’t moved?_

He carried the knife around with him, but didn’t see her to talk to for quite some time, though he went late to the baths a few times in the hopes of catching her again.

  
  
****^V^****  



	3. Chapter 3

****^V^****

 

It was the end of the Knights first moon cycle in the Slør and they had decided to go down to the village that lay at the bottom of the hill that Ljósur was perched upon.

The meals at the castle were served with te, water or vin but Luke assured them there was a small Krógv that served decent bjór and vittles. And in the next village over there was a cathouse, if they were so inclined. 

They left as the sun began to set, dressed casually though still bearing weapons - a Knight never went anywhere without weapons… Kylo frowned to himself as he thought again of the wrangler. He had been tempted to tell Luke of the knife throwing incident but for some reason, he had not. Yet he wasn’t sure why and that troubled him, as did his curiosity with her. 

As with Javiell, her aim was true, if he had not ducked, he would have been wounded, or dead. Normally he would have just killed her… And yet, it had not been an action of malice or even particularly threatening, or at least, not intentionally so.

But he really did need to make sure she understood if she did something like that again, he would kill her. He had an odd feeling that wouldn’t trouble her. And it made him wonder all over again about her origins.

Luke had said she had come from beyond the mountains, he had said it so casually. And yet Luke knew that no one had ever crossed Svartideyði and returned to tell of it. The mountains were a death trap. And to Kylo’s knowledge, no one had ever arrived from whatever lands there were beyond, if there were any. Yet Luke was not a foolish man.

“You’re awfully quiet.” Phasma murmured next to him. “If fact you’ve been brooding more than normal, which I did not think was possible, since we got to Ljósur.”

Kylo gave her a smirk. “I’ve just been missing bjór and women.” He said lightly. 

Phasma rolled her eyes. “I think you’re about to be disappointed then. I can’t believe you’ll find a woman down there that lives up to your exacting standards… Also I bet the bjór tastes like horse piss.”

Kylo laughed out loud, “Do you know Luke refers to you my Lady-Knight? If only he could hear you now.”

To his delight Phasma went red and spluttered in indignation, “He called me what?!” 

The others dropped back and were as deeply amused when Kylo explained.

“You do realise that’s now your new nickname, right?” Zainmar told her as they rode into the village. 

Phasma scowled. “The next one of you to utter that name will be stabbed in the dick,” she growled. They only laughed harder.

The peasants scurried out of their way as they hitched their horses to the post outside the Krógv. The Knights must look intimidating, dressed all in black, even without their armour. Black was a colour seldom seen in the Slør, and the people here all tended towards the small side, whereas the knights were huge and well muscled, distinguished by their deadly grace and obviously blue blood. 

The Krógv fell silent as they entered, the eigari rushed over to welcome them, nervously bowing and dry washing his hands, eyes darting around as he watched most of his patrons slip out the back way.

As they sat on cushions at a low table, Kylo noticed that one table away in the corner had not emptied. And there she was, the wrangler, sitting with that stablehand and a few other servants and guards from Ljósur. 

It looked like they were playing kasta and he watched as Rey stood to take her turn. She barely even looked at the round board before throwing, using her own knives he noted.

Rather than trying to hit the bulls eye, she’d made a perfect V around it with five knives. It took her barely seconds.

The others at her table made slightly annoyed but resigned grunts at her display, and money exchanged hands. He wondered why they even bothered.

But then he realised she was drunk. They had got her drunk in the hope that it would affect her aim. Evidently, it hadn’t worked like they’d hoped.

He watched as she fell back onto her cushion, then realise she’d forgotten to collect her blades. She went to get up again and the stable hand, Finn, pulled her down, indicating another man to collect them for her. To Kylo’s amusement she snarled at Finn, but he said a few soft words to her and she settled, though  she snatched her blades when the other man had collected them.

“Hah! I haven’t played kasta in years.” Leonmar said, bringing Kylo’s attention back to the table. “I do not think I would want to play against the wrangler though.” Ingalan said. 

Phasma punched him on the arm. “ _ Rey _ . Her name is Rey.” She growled as she got up and moved over to greet the girl.

Ingalan glared after her, rubbing his arm. “She really does seem to like her,” he said ruefully. “Why are you surprised?” Javiell said and they all looked at him. “Phas doesn’t meet many other women like her. And let’s face it, the girl may be a peasant, but underneath that dirt she is a natural fighter.”

The bjór turned out to be surprisingly good, rich and dark with a hint of bitterness. As they waited for their food to be served they played kasta on a new board the eigari brought them. 

Phasma rejoined them, towing a grumbling Rey behind her. She pulled the girl down beside her and looked at the other Knights. “This is Rey.” She told them firmly. Kylo wondered if the rumours about Phasma preferring ladies was true after all. 

Rey glared around the table and hissed before slurring, “Greetings,  _ rakhâs. _ ” Kylo watched as the other Knights tired to work out if that was an insult or not. Phasma looked down at Rey, the size disparity comical. “Have you eaten this evening, tiny one?” 

Rey hissed slightly at that but grinned, “Not yet today.”

Kylo frowned as Phasma glared down at Rey who seemed to be oblivious to her concern. “What, you mean you haven’t eaten anything? And those guys got you drunk?”

Rey shrugged her small shoulders, “I do not eat when the sun is in the sky, it makes you weak.”

“Not eating is what makes you weak.” Javiell stated and Rey hissed as she looked at him. 

“Sutta mín murt, _ rukhs. _ ” 

Everyone started laughing, which clearly seemed to confuse her. “Who taught you that?” Zainmar asked as tears streamed down his face, “Did they tell you what it means?” 

Rey shook her head, frowning, “Poe, he tells me this is an insult your people understand.”

Phasma grinned down at her. “Well, he was right, we understand it… But you just told Javiell to suck your cock.” 

Rey’s face went white, Kylo watched as her pupils blew wide. “Uh oh.” Zainmar said, the warning came too late for Phasma to grab hold of Rey and she shot up, back to cursing in whatever dialect she normally did. 

“Who, in their right minds, got the tiny savage drunk?” Ingalan asked no one in particular while Phasma and Kylo scrambled to their feet to pursue the tiny ball of fury weaving her way back towards the other table. “Poe Dameron! You, you,” she hissed in vexation, “ _ Abrâfu shaikmashâz!” _

The dark curly haired man who had collected her knives scrambled up from his seat as she backed him into a corner, Finn bravely (or stupidly) leapt between them. 

“Woah, Reyla, _ lítil jarðnøt _ , what is this?” He asked as she aimed a knife, Kylo marvelled at her steady arm before he grabbed it and Phasma grabbed her body from behind. He wondered absently if Rey knew that Finn had just referred to her as  _ little peanut. _ He thought that she probably did not.

“You, Finn. Take her knives off her while we hold her,” he ordered the man. Finn hesitated then complied, seeming to know exactly where she kept them.

After a few minutes Rey stopped struggling and settled down to hissing and shooting murderous looks at him and the man she named Poe Dameron.

Kylo spared him a glance, “Perhaps it would be wise to call it a night, yes?” The man tried a disarming smile at Rey, and Kylo reflected that it probably worked on almost any woman he tried it, but not Rey. Poe departed swiftly.

Finn lingered, “I will take her now,” he told them stiffly, suspiciously. 

Kylo shook his head, he was enjoying this too much. “I think it best if we watch her for a while.” Phasma added, “And feed her. I can’t believe you boys took her out drinking on an empty stomach - she’s tiny!” 

Finn shrugged uncomfortably, “She won’t eat during the day, and it never stops her winning money off us… What set her off? She was fine when she left our table.” His last words were faintly accusatory. Kylo didn’t care for his tone, Finn, it seemed, had also be drinking.

“It seems your friend Poe has been teaching her insults in Gamal, without explaining the meanings,” Phasma said. 

Finn rolled his eyes, “Of course he has,” he said before focusing on Rey, “Reyla, you cannot hurt Poe, he was playing a joke on you.” Rey hissed at him. “Harri Luke will be angry if you hurt Poe.” 

Rey glared at him then muttered to herself, her body relaxing fully in Phasma’s grip.

“Come,” Phasma said to her, letting go save for one arm. “Sit with us and eat.” Rey huffed, then peered out of a window. “Not yet, soon. When the sun is away. But I will sit with you.” She turned to glare back at Finn, “My blades,” she said as she held out her free hand.

Finn shook his head. Kylo held out his hand, “Give them to me. I will see she gets them,  _ later.” _

Finn hesitated then gave them up, clearly unhappy but unable to refuse the obvious order.

They went back and sat down. Their food had just arrived, a large steaming bowl of curried goat, greens, rice and flatbread. The depth of flavour was surprisingly complex. 

Once it was dark Rey dutifully ate, if she hadn’t, Kylo wouldn’t have been surprised to see Phasma hand feed her whilst holding her down.

As they ate, their talk turned to the cathouse in the next village. “I haven't seen any girls here I fancy, so I will go over. Who will join me?” Leomar asked. 

“What makes you think the cathouse will have anyone you fancy?” Javiell asked. 

Leonmar shrugged, “At least they’ll know what to do, and I won’t have to be nice to them to get them into bed.” 

Zainmar laughed.

“You,” Rey asked Phasma, “You go there too?” The Knights laughed as Phasma shook her head, a rare blush painting her pale cheeks. “They only have women there. Not my thing.” She answered. 

“Are you sure, Phas?” Zainmar asked slyly and Phasma glared at him.

Rey mirrored her glare, “Hold your tongue,  _ rukhs.  _ It will be the only way a woman will lie with you.” 

Phasma laughed at that, slapping Rey on the back so hard the girl almost fell over. Kylo watched with amusement as Zainmar sputtered. 

Rey grinned at him, “That, and perhaps a darkened room,” she added, making Phasma laugh so much tears leaked from her eyes.

Zainmar glared, “What about you? Have you ever seen a mirror that hasn’t cracked?”

If he was hoping to insult her, he was disappointed, she only grinned, baring unnaturally sharp looking teeth. “But I do not  _ need _ someone to bed, so it is not a problem.” Her emphasis on need made it appear a weakness.

“On the contrary, I think someone needs to give you a good fucking, maybe you’d lose some of your crazy.” Javiell said blandly. 

Zainmar and Leonmar hooted at that, then even more as Rey gave an indignant squawk and after remembering she didn’t have any knives, frustratedly threw a piece of bread at him.

Javiell dodged it easily, smirking. “Yes. You definitely need to get laid.” Next she threw a spoon at him. He blocked it but it caught his wrist, apparently she’d thrown it quite hard because he let out an involuntary, “Ow!” 

“Oh you deserved that, Jav.” Phasma chortled. “Just be glad we didn’t eat steak tonight.” Rey grinned up at her.

“You know, wrangler,” Leonmar said loudly, putting on his best smile, “I’d happily oblige, as a favour, of course.”

His meaning seemed to be lost on Rey, “What favour?” She asked him, nonplussed. 

Javiell looked Rey up and down, “I’m not sure you’d survive, Leonmar, knives or no.”

Rey turned to Phasma, “What is it they speak of?” 

Phasma grinned down at her, “Leonmar is offering to take you to bed.”

Rey looked him up and down critically, “I do not bed men who cannot beat me in a fight,  _ rukhs. _ ” Leonmar gaped at her, then straightened his shoulders. “I could have you on the floor in five minutes,  _ girl _ .” He growled at her, but she merely grinned, then stood, turning to look down at Kylo. 

“My blades.” She said, holding out her hand.

“Wait, you didn’t specify a fight with weapons.” Leonmar said. 

Rey looked down at him in surprise, “I did not think I needed to,” and she sat back down.

Phasma looked at her with interest, “So, you only bed men who beat you in a real fight?” 

Rey grinned up at her. “Yes.” 

Phasma seemed to find this weirdly fascinating.

“Zounds, how many men have been crazy enough to try?” Ingalan asked. 

Rey shrugged, “Not many, and none have succeeded,” she told them smugly. 

They all blinked at this statement.  _ “Wait.” _ Phasma said, “Do you mean you have never been to bed with a man, with anyone?”

Rey looked at her, “This surprises you?” 

Phasma nodded, then cocked her head. “Perhaps not as much now I think about it. I imagine most men here are terrified of you.”

Rey smiled, “This is true. They are not men.”

“But, what about where you came from? How old are you?” Phasma asked her.

Kylo watched as a shadow passed over the girls features, her smile fell. “I do not know my age, this was never told to me.”

Kylo noted she did not answer Phasma’s first question. He remembered the silver mesh of scars he had seen in the moonlight.

There was quiet for a moment, then Zainmar said, “Well. I for one, am going to the cathouse. Who’s joining?” 

Leonmar shrugged, “I like a challenge but one that won’t involve me bleeding a lot, so I’m with you.”

They stood and Ingalan stood too. 

“I’ll stay here.” Javiell said.

Kylo nodded. “Me too.”

“Well obviously I’m not going.” Phasma said, “Kasta anyone?”

 

Their group split, and Kylo deemed the tiny wrangler to be sober enough to return her blades to her and they played Kasta. She won every game, till they gave up and started playing cards.

Rey had no interest in this and was idly throwing knives at the kasta board when she suddenly froze.

Kylo had marvelled before at how she went from movement to perfect stillness. Phasma noticed where he was staring and looked up from her cards. 

“What is it?” The girl remained frozen for half a second more before she growled, it was a low animalistic sound, completely at odds with her unthreatening body. 

She didn’t answer them, she had her Kurambiks out and was moving so swiftly she’d made it to the door before they could get up.

They scrambled to follow her, spilling out of the krógv, blinking in the darkness. She stood in the middle of the road, quite alone, and she appeared to be…  _ sniffing? _ Scenting the air like a hound after prey. 

“What are you doing?” Javiell asked her, looking up and down the quiet street. 

Kylo watched her closely as he and Phasma approached her. 

She turned to face them when they were a few feet away, “ _ Death _ .” She hissed at them and the hair stood up along his neck and arms. She didn’t seem quite… human. Then she was darting away from them, Phasma followed her, pulling out two long knives as she went.

“Stay here, Jav. Watch the street.” Kylo ordered before he followed them quickly, pulling out his sabre and long knife.

He found Phasma and Rey some distance out from the village, in a field of long grass. There was a body lying sprawled on the ground.

Rey was crouching down to examine it. “Dead.” She hissed, and bizarrely, she stuck a blood darkened finger in her mouth, “Not long.” She closed the eyes of what had once been a girl, perhaps twelve years old.

Phasma knelt down to examine the body herself but Kylo watched as Rey stood, looking all around her. Then she closed her eyes again, hissing something in that unintelligible tongue of hers.

Her eyes flew open again and kylo was disturbed to detect fear in them, that had not been there before. “I thought these lands were free of them,” she whispered.

Kylo frowned, her emotions were rattling him. “Whom do you speak of?” 

She didn’t answer him, but looked back down at Phasma and grabbed her arm. “We must go.  _ Now, _ they have not finished with her, they will be back and we cannot fight them as we are.” She said urgently. “There is nothing you can do for her now, and if we stay, we die.”

“I’m not leaving her.” Phasma said stubbornly, “And Kylo and I can take any number of lesser men.” 

Rey hissed, “These are not men as you know them, Phasma.” She turned to Kylo opened her mouth, but stopped before saying anything, to turn wide eyes behind them, a small gasp escaped her mouth and it was her next words to him that made him move. “ _ Kylo Ren _ we must run!” She had not called him  _ rukhs _ , she had used his full title.  _ “Now!” _ She cried, then turned tail and flew back towards the village as if her life depended on it.

Kylo unceremoniously yanked Phasma up and dragged her behind him as he ran. He never ran,  _ ever _ . And yet the wranglers fear had leached into his body and it had responded on its own.

They caught up with Rey back on the main road through the village, her kurambiks still clutched in her hands, as she moved in a slow circle, again seeming to sniff the air.

“What is going on?” Kylo demanded, but she seemed oblivious so he grabbed her by the shoulders. “Rey, what is going on?” 

Her eyes focused on his face.  _ “Death,”  _ she hissed, “I do not know the name in your basic, and where I am from, we do not utter their name at night.” She looked up at him and he suddenly thought how vulnerable she looked and he could feel a fine trembling in her limbs where he still had hold of her. “I cannot sense more than two, the girl in the grass will be enough for now, but… but they are seeking me. I must leave this place, I have been still too long.” Her last words were angry.

“You aren’t making any sense.” Phasma said as she scanned the darkness. “You need to explain yourself, a girl is dead!” 

Rey shook her head. “I cannot explain, not at night. I must go, back to the castle. If I leave here tomorrow at first light, they will trouble you no more.”

She wrenched out of Kylo’s grasp and started heading for the road up to the castle, Kylo exchanged a look with Phasma as they tried to work out what the hell had just happened. But a terrified hiss brought them to look towards where Rey was slowly backing towards them. The kurambiks wavering in her grip. 

Kylo could see nothing. “What is it?” He called. 

“I was wrong,”she said quietly as she got within a few paces of them, eyes still fixed in front of her. “Draw any weapons you have and go inside the krógv. Do not leave till daylight breaks.”

“What in hell's name is going on?” Javiell asked as he joined them, Rey didn’t turn around. “This is beyond any of you,” She said quietly as she squared her shoulders and steadied her hands, dropping into a fighting crouch,  _ “Run!” _

Javiell pulled out his sabre and long knife, Rey’s eyes never left the place she was staring but she made an angry hiss. “I cannot protect you all  _ and _ myself.  _ Run!” _

And just as Kylo was about to argue with her, two shadows leapt out of the darkness, snarling. Suddenly, Rey was everywhere, her blades glinting in the moonlight as she attacked them head on.

Kylo, Phasma and Javiell found themselves fighting for their lives with what at first appeared to be shadowy men, but they were inhumanly strong and fast, seemingly impervious to pain. Their lips were stretched back, showing fangs instead of teeth, as they growled and snarled, the sounds blood curdling. 

Then there was an head-splitting scream, that seemed to grate on Kylo’s bones it cut so deep. Phasma was down and bleeding, Kylo and Javiell standing over her as they attempted to keep the other shadow at bay. Rey joined them, launching herself onto its back, gripping it’s torso with her legs hooked together in front of her, and used her kurambiks simultaneously to cut into the creatures neck. It reared back its head, hands scrabbling as she cut deeper. 

Kylo and Javiell took advantage of the creatures distraction and they both stabbed it in the chest, avoiding Rey’s legs and sinking the blades in deeply.

There issued from it’s bloody mouth another head splitting scream and Rey’s jumped free as it fell to the ground, thrashing. She grabbed one of Phasma’s long knives from the ground and to Kylo’s shock she pinned the creature down with a knee on its chest, and decapitated it, finishing the job her kurambiks had started.

He watched as she tossed the head to land with another. “We must burn them, now,” she yelled at them as she dragged the bodies into the middle of the street.  _ “Now!” _

“Jav, get fire.” Kylo commanded and knelt to help Phasma, who was still on the floor, moaning in pain.

Rey joined him, dropping to her knees to look at the other woman. She lifted one of Phasma’s arms and hissed, pulling the cloth of her tunic sleeve away to reveal a ragged looking bite, she hissed again. “Be still,” she ordered Phasma, then covered the bite with her mouth and started sucking.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kylo asked, trying to pull her away from Phasma. Rey detached, turned her head and spat. “I am saving her life. Burn the bodies,” and she went back to sucking, Phasma’s moans did seem to be easing.

Javiell came back with two torches and together he and Kylo set the headless bodies on fire, making sure to let it take hold everywhere they could.

Some of the villagers started to leave their homes now the danger appeared to be over. 

“Burn the heads too,” Rey said and Kylo turned away from the macabre scene to look back at her. Blood was smeared over the lower part of her face and her eyes appeared glassy. He was relieved to see Phasma on her feet, wobbly, but alive.

Rey took a few steps towards the fire and then just collapsed, falling bonelessly to the ground. “Javiell, ride over to the next village and find the others, bring them back.” Kylo commanded before he ran over to where Phasma was trying to revive Rey.

“Phas, can you ride?” She nodded, “Ride back to the castle, take Rey with you. Inform Luke that he needs to bring his guards down here. I’ll stay and do damage control… Ride fast, we don’t know if this is over.”

Phasma nodded grimly, and he helped her onto her horse, lying Rey’s still limp body over the front of the saddle, Kylo slapped the horses rump and they sped off, the already nervous horse very happy to be getting away from the acrid smoke the burning bodies were producing.

Kylo turned back to the villagers, ordering them to go back into their homes and to stay there until daylight.

He wanted to run the perimeter, but on his own that would be foolish, so he waited for the Knights and Luke’s guard, carefully scanning the surroundings as he collected the scattered weapons and studied the burning bodies as much as he could, a rag pressed up against his nose and mouth.

He knew the stench of charred human flesh and this was not it. They were not human, and whatever they were, they were deadly. He could not recall any being like them from all his training. 

And yet the wrangler appeared to know them intimately. She had killed one all on her own while three Knights of Ren had only managed to keep one at bay.

A startling question presented itself to him,  _ was Rey human?  _ If she survived whatever it was that had struck her down, he would require answers from her.

For now, he watched, sabre and knife bare in his hands, tension coiled in his muscles, he waited.

****^V^****


	4. Chapter 4

****^V^****

It was past dawn when Kylo and the Knights returned to the castle with some of the guards. Luke had instructed the rest to remain in the village and would rotate them down there in shifts until they knew if this would be a one off attack or if there was more to follow.

The Knights went to check on Phasma straight away, ignoring their hunger and exhaustion. They found her in her room, she was in bed with Rey pulled tightly against her body, Finn on the other side so the tiny wrangler was sandwiched between them.

Before any of the Knights could say anything, Phasma glared at them, “We cannot wake her and she is freezing,” she said, Finn stared at them, wide eyed and silent.

Kylo moved closer, the girls lips were _blue_. “It’s not working,” he observed.

“Don’t you think we know that?” Phasma snapped.

Kylo sighed, he was worn to a ravelling but he couldn’t help feeling he owed the wrangler, she had revived Phasma somehow, she had killed those… those _things._

“Move,” he told Finn and the stable hand wriggled quickly out of the bed, nervously moving into a corner. Kylo picked the girl up, she weighed barely anything, an icy chill emanated from her flesh, and he strode for the door, Phasma quickly following along with the Knights. “And what of your injuries?” He asked her as she fell into step next to him.

Phasma barked a laugh, pointed to the place on her arm where she had been bitten, “I don’t know what the fuck she did but it’s healed.” _And it was_ , a mottled mass of scar tissue was there instead of the gaping wound from just ten hours before.

Kylo shook his head, that would be another question to ask Rey when she awoke. _If she awoke._

“Where are you taking her anyway?” Phasma asked.

“The baths,” Kylo said, “I’ll get her as close to the spring as possible.”

Phasma pulled off his boots and removed his weapons when they got there and Kylo walked straight into the water, otherwise fully clothed.

It felt oddly intimate, having Rey in his arms with the water making her thin tunic and undergarments cling to her body. The morning light giving him the best view of her features he had had yet. He dipped her body into the water, holding her afloat with his hands underneath her back and head and moved her to the hottest part of the baths he could stand.

“Is it working?” Phasma asked as she joined him, the other Knights were in the baths too, though they’d all taken the time to strip off. “Perhaps,” Kylo answered, there was at least a little colour in Rey’s cheeks.

“I instructed Finn to have food brought,” Ingalan said as he moved over to the underwater bench to sit down. “While we wait, I feel you and Phasma owe us a story.”

The others nodded, Kylo hadn’t had a chance to properly fill them in during the night, they had concentrated on scouring the village and surrounding countryside for more of those creatures.

They had found no rumour of more, save the body of another girl, this one seemingly bled dry.

Phasma told them the details, with Kylo and Javiell occasionally adding bits.

“It sounds like we really need the wrangler to live,” Leonmar said once they were brought up to the moment.

Phasma glared at him, “She _saved my life._ Seemingly at risk to her own. _We owe her._ ”

Leonmar coloured, aware that he had ignored an honour debt. “Yes ,of course, Phas,” he said quietly. Phasma punched him affectionately on the arm and he gave her a small smile.

Their meal arrived and was floated to them on wooden trays, it seemed it was not unusual to eat whilst bathing.

Rey was looking better, her lips were now pink and her skin was warm, so they all went and sat on the underwater bench to eat. Kylo pulled Rey into a sort of sitting position between his legs, holding her body against his torso with one arm while he ate with the other.

Towards the end of their meal she started muttering softly to herself in that guttural language of hers, then started to move restless against him.

Kylo pushed the nearest tray away in anticipation. They didn’t have to wait long, Kylo felt her body tense against him and he took his arm away from her just before she surged forward, hissing out a unintelligible string of invective before stumbling and going underwater. It would have been funny if they hadn’t just experienced the horrors of last night.

As it was, Kylo and Phasma pulled the kicking and flailing form out of the water as it hissed at them.

“Rey!” Phasma yelled as she gripped her shoulders.

The wrangler froze, that ability to go from action to perfect stillness unnerving suddenly. She flicked her hair out of her eyes and looked at Phasma.

“You are well?” She asked the Knight before snatching Phasma’s arm to inspect it. “It is not a perfect scar, but it is done.” Then she appeared to notice where they were and her eyes widened. “What is this?” She gestured around her at the baths and then suddenly appeared to realise everyone but she and Kylo were naked. She hissed and dropped her eyes.

“We could not get you warm, you were freezing to death. Kylo brought you here.” Phasma told her gently. Kylo watched in amusement as Rey seemed to realised he stood behind her. She squeaked and lunged away from him, only to fall back under the water and Phasma fished her out again, pulling her to sit on the underwater bench by Zainmar.

Kylo moved till he stood in front of her. “Are you well?” He asked her.

She glared up at him, then swayed and pressed a hand to her head. “I need to feed.” She muttered to herself, Kylo frowned as she then grimaced, and said “I will live, _rukhs_. Where is Finn?... I need him for... something.”

Phasma nodded, “We will get you food soon, and I’ll track down Finn myself, but first you need to explain some things to us.”

Rey shook her head, and looked down into the water as if there were answers there only she could see, “You do not understand, Phasma. I need to see Finn now, and then I must go… There will be more of them coming.”

“More of what?” Kylo asked her and she looked up.

“I do not know what you call them in your basic, _rukhs._ And you will not need to find a word for them, if I leave here. But I must go _soon_ and before I go, I need to… I must see Finn.”

“I will bring Finn here.” Ingalan said and stood up, “You can talk while I get him.”

But Rey made a frustrated hiss, her cheeks flushing. “I cannot… You should not see… What I need him for.”

“Hold on,” Zainmar said incredulously, “Are you going to bed him before you go?”

Rey hissed at him angrily, “Foolish _rukhs_!” She snapped, eyes flashing, “Not for that.”

Phasma frowned, “Rey, you saved my life, I think. Nothing you can say will negate that debt, but you need to tell us.”

The wrangler seemed to consider this for a moment and then she was springing forward as she tried to dodge around Kylo and get away.

She seemed weak though and Kylo and Ingalan caught her before she was six paces away. Kylo gripped her narrow wrists together in one hand and held the back of her neck with the other as he propelled her back to Phasma and the others.

“Explain,” Kylo growled in her ear. He was tired and done playing games.

The fight seemed to go out of her and he noticed her limbs were trembling. “You will make oath not to kill me if I do?” Her voice was resigned, as if she didn’t expect a favourable answer but was asking anyway.

“I will not let them,” Phasma told the girl firmly.

Kylo raised one eyebrow at her and she gave him a determined look back. He felt Rey nod slightly, “I need Finn to feed. I expended too much energy healing Phasma last night, if I do not feed soon, I will die.”

_No one_ had been expecting that. “And when you say feed…?” Javiell asked.

Kylo felt Rey sigh, felt her neck try and move to hang her head but he still had hold of it. “Blood. I need blood.... Human blood.”

There was silence.

Kylo was reeling, even though he had wondered about her humanity, he hadn’t let himself truly doubt it until now.

“Why Finn’s?” Phasma asked, the first one of them able to make words.

Rey tried to shrug again and hissed in irritation at Kylo’s grip. “Finn, he lets me. I do not take from anyone not willing.”

Phasma nodded and to Kylo’s surprise stood, “Take some of mine. I owe you.”

But Rey shook her head. “You are still fighting off the taint, you will not be clean for one cycle of the moons, and female blood is not as… _potent_.”

“Mine then,” they all turned to look at Javiell in shock, he shrugged, “She saved our lives last night, we would not have survived those two… _creatures_ without her.”

Kylo let Rey go and she darted through the water till she stood in front of Javiell, delicately sniffing the air around him. It was a oddly predatory action. Then she cocked her head at him, “Neck, arm, wrist or thigh?”

For once in his life, Javiell looked confounded, “Err, whatever is best for you?”

She snorted slightly and to everyone’s continued surprise she climbed onto his lap, now seemingly oblivious to that fact he was he was naked.

_She must be starving,_ Kylo thought, _if this isn’t upsetting her but that night in the baths had her skittish as a colt._

“It will sting, for a moment, but then it will be pleasant,” she told Javiell as she looked him in the eye, from a few inches away.

Javiell seemed almost… in a trance and she dipped her head, holding onto his head and shoulder as she placed her mouth upon his throat and bit down. Javiell hissed in pain, his hands gripping her waist reflexively as she delicately started sucking. They were all watching, weirdly fascinated, until Javiell started moaning, and not in a bad way, suddenly no one knew where to look.

“You won’t hurt her will you?”

Kylo turned to find Finn a few paces away, eyes on Javiell, a faint caste of jealousy on his dark face. Kylo shook his head and Finn suddenly smiled, “She didn’t warn you about what it does to humans did she? She didn’t warn me the first time, either.”

“Is it doing what it sounds like?” Zainmar asked in a slightly strangled voice.

Finn grinned, “Your friend is about to experience the best orgasm of his life.”

Phasma barked a laugh and the others echoed her.

“Wish I had volunteered now,” Leonmar muttered.

“I think we all do,” Zainmar said.

“She will be sleepy for a while afterwards,” Finn said. “She may need help staying above water for ten minutes or so… I must go, but you promise she is safe?” He was trying for servile diffidence but it came off more as a demand.

Kylo nodded all the same. “She is safe, from us at least. Before you go, what can you tell us of her and her… _kind._ ”

Finn looked uncomfortable. “Not much. All I know is that she escaped from somewhere, somewhere where monsters ruled… She is rare, something they covet, something they need. She thought she had finally outrun them and so she stayed here… I feed her a few times a week, more if she is injured. Other than that she eats food.”

“What of her senses?” Kylo asked, “She appeared to know things last night, hear and see things that we could not.”

Finn nodded, “All her senses can be heightened, she damps them down most of the time, she hasn’t needed to rely on them for a while and being able to hear and smell everything whilst living with so many people wore her down.”

There was a distinctive cry from Javiell and they turned to see Rey slipping of the Knights lap, licking reddened lips.

“You will need to prop him up for a bit too,” Finn said, “And I will make sure he had extra meat later, it looks like she took quite a bit.”

Leonmar caught Rey as she stumbled and pulled her against his chest, while Zainmar awkwardly sat next to Javiell and pulled the other man's head to rest on his shoulder. Finn left then and they all sat back down, waiting for the wrangler to rise from her topor and Javiell to stop smiling and sit up.

Presently Rey stretched luxuriously, arching her back like a cat and Leonmar had to clear his throat. She froze, her small smile leaving her face as she realised where she was and she stood up quickly, moving a few paces away.

“Feel better?” Phasma asked and Rey tilted her head and curved her lips at the other woman. “This one,” she flicked her fingers at Javiell, “He is good. Yes. I will heal him now.” She crossed over to Javiell and carefully licked the sluggish wound, it sealed underneath her tongue. “Forgive. I should have done that properly, but I was slow to assimilate his strength.”

She smiled happily for a moment then shook herself, “I must leave. Again, your forgiveness, I stayed in this place too long.”

“Before you go, I still require answers.” Kylo said and she sighed.

“Perhaps, but the longer I delay…” She paused and shut her eyes, as she turned in a circle, chest moving oddly as she filtered the air. After a few moments she opened her eye once more, again she flicked her fingers at Javiell, “Who knew _rukhs_ blood would be so potent,” she said, more to herself than the Knights. “There are more on their way, but those two were forerunners, and were ahead by three days. So. Ask your questions, giant _rukhs_.”

Javiell chose that moment to sit up, “Zounding hells!” He looked up at Rey, “Does, err, does that normally happen.” _Was Javiell blushing?!_

Rey looked at him in concern, “It varies, your first time is not the best. Forgive.”

Javiell laughed, he sounded almost drunk, “ _Believe_ me. There is no forgiveness needed. Happy to do that again.” Everyone stared; Javiell did not like women, he didn’t like men either. He just had never been interested in sex.

Kylo watched as Rey’s expression relaxed, “Ask your questions”, she said again.

“Perhaps this would be best with Luke, when we are dried and dressed. And you should probably eat some normal food too.”

Rey shook her head, “I do not eat when the sun is out, _rukhs_. I do not normally feed, either.” She looked regretful. “But it was needful… But yes, out of the water would be better. With your clothes on. I will find you,” She told them and started wading quickly away.

The Knights got up and and followed, wrapping themselves in the soft towels Finn had left for them, before going to their rooms to dress.

They’d settled in the library, and the Knights and Luke were deep in conversation when Rey arrived. Kylo had been wondering what had taken her so long but when she appeared he thought he knew.

Her face was set and thunderous and she was wearing a dress. Her still damp, warm brown hair was loose, softly curling about her shoulders. The dress was dark blue, simple and made of rough material, yet somehow she looked… _beautiful._ Even as she climbed into an empty chair and hissed to herself as she tried to get comfortable, clearly unused to skirts, there was something about her that dried his throat.

“Forgive, Luke. There were no… suitable dry clothes to be found,” she said as she glared at the skirt of the dress that was now somewhat tangled around her legs.

Zainmar snorted and she looked up to glare at him, before turning back to Luke who was hiding a small small behind his glass of vin, “It is quite all right, Rey.”

She looked at him anxiously, “Forgive also, my… deception.”

Luke nodded gravely, smile gone. “Perhaps you can set that right now?” She nodded. “The most pressing question we have is, what were those two… creatures?”

“ _Marwolaeth_ ,” she hissed, Kylo felt his skin prickle. “I do not know if you have a word for them here… They live in the darkness and feed on the living, women and girls, they just kill men.”

“Like you do?” Kylo asked and she looked so offended he thought she would implode.

“No! _No._ This is, we are not, it is _different!_ I do not kill, I do not enslave, I walk in the sunlight and eat bread and salt. _No._ ” She shook her head vehemently on the last no. “They always kill. They always take,” she said the last somewhat sadly.

“Then what are you?” Leonmar asked her.

She sighed, shifting about uncomfortably in her dress. “I am _Trollskïr._ I am related to them and to you, but I am neither, I am _other_.”

“If you are not one of them, why do they pursue you?” Phasma asked as she cleaned her nails with one of her knives.

Again Rey shifted. “I do not like to speak of this.”

“I insist,” Luke said softly but firmly. Kylo noticed a blush appear on the wranglers face.

“They want me, seek me… to… they call female Trollskïr, _bridiwr._ Breeders… We are rare. I thought... I had thought I had come far enough. I was wrong. And that is why I must go, I know now they will never stop hunting me.”

There was a shocked silence that Rey seemed to want to fill. “I will teach you how to kill them. Sunlight, will burn them to a crisp till all that is left is ash. Wood thrust through their heart, silver forged during noon under a bright sun. Taking their head. Fire can work on some, and it is best to burn the bodies.. Sometimes they are less dead than you think… A bite will kill you, they have poison in their saliva, their blood will burn your skin like acid. You must never speak their name when the sun is not in the sky, for it calls them to you. Their gaze can put you in a trance, never look in their eyes. They are faster, stronger than you. Unless you have magic, you will die.”

There was silence as everyone took in her words but Kylo was distracted by her long toned legs that had appeared as she fidgeted. They were very nice legs.

He cleared his throat to divert himself and asked, “How did they track you?”

She shrugged, “My blood sings… and it becomes stronger as I age… I had thought the mountains would be enough,” she muttered, then added at normal volume, “They cannot enter dwellings owned by man unless invited in, tell your people. And sometimes a girl or woman will try to leave, they have called to them, you must tie them down till the sun rises and the spell is broken.”

“Am I right in thinking their powers do not work on you?” Luke asked and Rey nodded. “Most do not, it depends on the age of the _Marwolaeth,_ some are stronger than others, there are some against which I have not yet been tested. Their poison weakens me.” She glanced at Phasma, “And I need to feed soon after ingesting it or I go into stasis, or die. I had built up a tolerance, but it seems to have dissipated since I escaped.”

“You mean they bit you?” Phasma asked appalled, then shut her eyes, “All those scars?” She asked softly.

Rey nodded, “Yes. It is how they.. _Control_ us. They keep us weak. Unlike humans, when _Marwolaeth_ bite a Trollskïr, it  causes weakness and confusion, whereas ingesting their blood can kill us, as I have said.”

Luke stood abruptly, “A memory stirs; I must do some research to see if I can chase it down... Rey, do you know how many are coming?”

Rey scrambled off her chair and went to the large open window that faced north and east, they watched as she closed her eyes and filtered the air as she had done earlier. Then she gave a soft gasp and put a hand out to steady herself as she swayed. “A whole Fist. _So many_ ,” She turned back to them, “I had not thought it would be so many!” She looked defeated, eyes wide in her small face.

“How many is a fist?” Ingalan asked as she stared.

“Twenty.” She said in a rough voice. “And they have an Ancient with them. I can _feel his blood._ ” She closed her eyes and shuddered, then snapped them open again, “I must go, more than ever, I cannot wait for tomorrow. Keep your people in over night for one cycle of the moons to be sure... _Luke_ … You saved my life the day you found me and I regret that I bring death to your door… And yet, I have more to ask of you, if I am to lead them away.”

Luke frowned, but Kylo did not think it was aimed at her request, rather at the thought of her leaving. Luke really did seem to care for her. “Name it,” Luke told to her.

Rey looked at her feet as she spoke her request, “A horse. Ljós-Vindur, if you can spare him... And,” She hesitated then said in a rush, “it would help if I can feed once more before I leave.”

“I give you Ljós gladly, Rey, but at least stay tonight, rest and then leave at first light, and I will feed you myself,” he said awkwardly, but gently.

Rey’s cheeks coloured, “My thanks, but… A younger man would be more... potent.” Zainmar stifled a snort at that but then Luke chuckled openly, and the Knights joined him.

Luke left soon after and the Knights started talking about how best to proceed with securing the Slør and how to safely patrol it over the next month.

Kylo got up from his seat and walked over to Rey, who was still standing staring pensively out of the window. She really was small.

“I will feed you,” he told her as she looked up at him. “You saved Phasma, and she is my Knight.”

She nodded, “If you are sure. But I do not know that I saved her; but for me, they never would have come here. I bring death with me wherever I go, it seems… Perhaps I should just call an end to it all,” she murmured as she turned to look back out of the window.

“How would you do that? Surely if that is possible, you should do it?” Kylo asked her and was surprised to hear her laugh.

“Perhaps I should. But I am a coward, giant _rukhs,_ and I do not yet have the courage.”

“Courage for what?” Phasma asked as she joined them at the window, and Rey turned her back to the view to look at them with suddenly ancient eyes, Kylo wondered again just how old she was.

“There are two ways I could quickly end this. I could go back to them. Or I could kill myself. I regret that I do not yet have this courage, one day, perhaps I will.”

Her words stunned Kylo into silence as he realised he’d just advised her to accept slavery or death.

Phasma shook her head at Rey and placed a hand on her shoulder. “That does not make you a coward, _hermaður-systir,_ it makes you brave.”

Rey smiled but shook her head, “You are kind to say so. I will go now and see if my clothes are dry…” She tilted her head as she looked up and Kylo and Phasma, “How came I to be in the baths?”

“Ah, you collapsed down in the village.,” Phasma said, “I took you up to that castle but the mender was unable to revive you and you just got colder and colder. It was Kylo’s idea to take you into the hot water. He held you in the hot part till you regained colour.”

To Kylo’s amusement Rey blushed and looked down, “I did not know this, giant _rukhs_. I should not feed from you, you owe me nothing.”

Kylo took her chin in his hand and raised it up so he could see her eyes. They were bright green and gold, and seemed to glow in the afternoon light. “That is not true, tiny Trollskïr,” he grinned as she glared at how he’d addressed her. “Three debts I owe you, Phasma, Javiell and myself… and in all your explanations you still have not said what a _rukhs_ is.”

She smirked slightly at that. “I have not,” she agreed then slipped out of his grasp and trotted quickly out of the room.

He turned to watch her go. “I’ve noticed the way you look at her,” Phasma said quietly next to him and he almost jumped, but caught himself.

It is nothing,” He told her flatly.

Phasma scoffed, “Sure… I should have known the great Kylo Ren would never fall for a mere _human_. Much too boring and simple.”

Kylo glared at her then sighed. “It doesn't matter, she leaves tomorrow... and I’d never fight her with edged weapons anyway,” he muttered, looking out of the window himself.

Phasma crossed her arms, and he could feel her angry blue eyes bore into his head. “But _why?_ Why are we letting her leave? We are the Knights of Ren, I thought we never ran from a fight… It sits ill with me, abandoning her, leaving her to worse than wolves... _Alone_.”

Kylo grimaced, it sat ill with him too. “We are the Knights of Ren, yes. But twenty or more of those things, Phas? We barely survived two and that was with Rey.”

They fell silent, both trying to work out a strategy that would somehow mean Rey could stay _and_ the Slør’s fields not end up drenched in blood.

_“Vampýrum!”_ Luke shouted excitedly as he rushed back into the library. Kylo and Phasma both jumped, then shot embarrassed looks at each other, before moving closer to the large table as Luke thumped a giant, dusty book on it. “I knew there was something familiar about Rey’s descriptions. And there is even an easy way to kill them, all we need to do is dip our weapons in…” He cut himself short, an angry frown replacing his triumphant smile.

“In what?” Ingalan asked.

Luke looked up at them, looking faintly sick. “In blessed Trollskïr blood,” he answered softly. He paused then shook his head, “I will keep looking,” he said as he sat down, shoving his nose deep into the book.

“Do you think she knows and didn’t tell us on purpose?” Zainmar asked.

Phasma shook her head slowly, “If she knew, I think she would have used it herself, do you not?”

Kylo nodded, that tallied with what they knew of her, “Should we tell her? It may help her later on.”

Phasma shot him a flat look, clearly still hoping to somehow solve this without Rey needing to leave. Then she sighed and nodded, looking away as she said, “Any advantage we can give her.”

The rest of the day was spent in planning, messengers had been sent out to all the villages and hamlets in the Slør with warnings and instructions to help them weather the oncoming storm.

****^V^****  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations/meanings up to chapter 4 (if I’ve missed any out, please let me know ♥ )
> 
> **Trollskïr** = my version of something similar to a dhampir  
>  **Gamal (Faroese)**  
>  Gamal - old tongue, high,  
> Tokuni - lands/country  
> Slør - valley in Torkuni, where Lukes castle is  
> Ljósur - Luke’s castle means Light  
> Svartideyði - Black Death, mountain range  
> Vittles - food/meal  
> Bjór - beer/ale  
> Vin - wine  
> Te - tea  
> Krógv - pub  
> Eigari - owner of a pub or cathouse etc  
> Kasta - game played with knives or darts on a board  
> Helviti - fuck  
> Gandur - magic- male moon  
> Veldi - force- female moon  
> Harri - lord  
> Frúgv - lady  
> Lítil jarðnøt - little peanut  
> hermaður systir - warrior sister  
> Sutta mín murt - suck my cock  
>  **Miscellaneous**  
>  Zounds! - expressing surprise or indignation.  
> Sennight - week  
> Moons cycle - month  
> Vampýrum- vampires, dhampirs, orcs  
> Cathouse - brothel   
> **Trollskïr (Welsh)**  
>  Marwolaeth - death (Vampires)  
> Bridiwr - breeder   
>  **Rey curses in Neo-Khuzdul:**  
>  Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul = I spit upon your grave  
> Imrid amrâd ursul = Die a fiery death  
> Abrâfu shaikmashâz = descendant of rats


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Some of this could be construed as dubcon.

****^V^****

It felt strange that Rey didn’t join them for the evening meal on the terrace, Kylo felt like she should belong there, with he and the Knights. 

It was getting late, (he was exhausted - as he hadn’t really slept for almost two days) when he went to find Rey so she could feed and he could finally go to sleep. He searched the castle for a while, until Finn told him she’d gone to the baths. 

“But we are keeping a curfew,” Kylo said angrily. “Why did you let her go out?” 

Finn shuffled his feet, a guilty frown maring his dark face, “And I was going to stop her how?”

Kylo growled, easing his sabre in its scabbard, “I will go out and get her in. If anyone asks for me, that’s where I’ll be,” and he strode away before Finn could reply.

It was another moonlit night and when Kylo got to the steps of the baths, he couldn’t see Rey clearly, but he heard her hiss. “Rey? You should not be out here.”

There was a pause and then a soft chuckle drifted over to him, “Be calm, there are none of them near, giant _ rukhs _ . And I have my blades near to hand.”

Kylo sighed, and started to undress. 

“What do you do?” Came her voice again, it was sleepy and relaxed. 

Kylo really hoped she was right and there were none of those creatures near, because he was exhausted and she was didn’t sound much fitter. “I’m coming in,” he said, as he placed a long knife between his teeth and stepped into the water.

There was a soft hiss in the darkness and he angled his path towards it till he could see her, now that he thought about it, her eyes did reflect light oddly, they almost glowed. He sat down on the underwater bench with a sigh, placing his knife on the edge within easy reach. “Why are you here?” He asked as he leaned back against the side of the baths.”You spent about two hours in here this morning.”  

She huffed, “I did not properly clean myself then. And I like this water. It is good… What do you do here? You too, were in the baths not long ago.”

“I came looking for you, you needed to feed and Finn told me you were out here.” 

She hissed but it lacked conviction, “He does not know when to be quiet, that one. Yet, I will miss him...If you are sure then, where shall I bite?” 

Kylo felt his blood heat at her words, he swallowed, trying to calm himself, “Wherever you prefer.”

“I will drink from your throat,” she stood and he looked up as she moved in front of him. 

“Do not be afraid, giant  _ rukhs _ ,” she said softly, “It will sting at first, but that goes quickly.”

Before he could reply, she climbed onto his lap as she had with Javiell. But this time, she was naked too. Kylo found his hands automatically clasping her waist; up this close she smelled of sunlight and grass, the minerals in the water, yet mixed in with that was the smell of night frost and lightning.

He held his breath as she gently took his neck and head, tilting them the side, she delicately sniffed the skin over beating pulse. “ _ Mmm… _ ” The sound went straight to his groin. “You smell...  _ different, _ giant  _ rukhs. _ ” She settled more closely against him, he could feel her breasts against his chest and he realised his hands had started stroking up and down her sides, her skin felt smooth a velvety, despite the scarring. And then her teeth sank in and he gasped. 

It more than stung, it felt like being stabbed with tiny hot needles, yet as soon as he thought that, the pain dissipated, replaced by intense pleasure. 

It coursed through his veins, warm and sweet and  _ oh so good _ . He was vaguely aware that he was moaning, gasping as she drank from him and he couldn’t seem to stop his hips from moving against her, but he didn’t care. Then she moaned, low in her throat as she continued to suck at him, her body started to tremble against his. He moved one of his hands down, and gently brushed his fingers against her sex. Now her hips jerked, and she moaned again, so he touched her once more, bolder this time, finding the right spot, he caressed it until she was shuddering against him. His pleasure built with hers and they climaxed together, it was so intense he felt as if his whole being fractured into a thousand pieces of light, each one brilliant and pure. 

She was still shaking against him as he came back to himself, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him and she gasped. He lowered his mouth to her neck, tilting  _ her  _ head now, as he pressed his lips against her skin, feeling the pulse jumping beneath his tongue. He tried using his teeth and her hips bucked against him, he carried on and moved one of his hands back down between her legs, “What are you-?” She gasped, and then she arched back, his lips lost contact with her neck so he took one of her small breasts into his mouth, using his teeth and tongue, one hand working between her legs and the other holding her waist, keeping her from falling backwards as she continued to arch. And somehow, he  _ felt  _ her orgasm, felt her pleasure as his own. And he couldn’t help it, he pulled her forward and claimed her mouth as he forced it to continue as long as he could with his fingers.

Some time later, he cradled Rey’s limp body against his, as he lazily traced patterns on her back, listening to her breathing calm, feeling her heartbeat against his chest as it slowed.

Finally she lifted her head enough to lick the wound on his neck, then she leaned back so she could look him in the eyes.

Her’s were wide in the darkness. “That… I do not know what that was,  _ rukhs _ ,” she whispered as she licked her lips, eyes darting to look at his neck again. “Your blood… It is... There is  _ magic _ in it.... And your hands.” She shivered, despite the hot water and steam that enveloped them, “You are sure you are human?”

Kylo couldn’t help smirking at that, “Fairly sure, yes.” She shook her head at him then leaned in so she could sniff his neck again, “There is something different,  _ you _ are different. I do not understand this,” she muttered to herself, then suddenly she froze, a moment later a soft hiss escaped her lips, then she quickly scrambled off his lap, and he was so surprised he let her go. “You  _ touched _ me!” She hissed furiously. 

Kylo remembered that after feeding this morning she had had a lull period.  _ Guess she just came out of it.  _ He watched her face carefully, “That has not happened before?” 

The question seemed to divert her slightly and she frowned at him, “No. It should not... you should not have been able to think, or move much…” She moved back towards him as if she couldn’t resist the puzzle he posed her. 

She lifted a hand as if she would touch his cheek then hissed and snatched it back, cradling it against her body with her other hand. “This should not be…” Her words dissolved into that hissing alien tongue she cursed in, all the while staring at him. She almost seemed afraid and was certainly unsettled, but he wasn’t sure why. Perhaps he should have asked Javiell about his experience, but it had seemed too personal a question.

He remembered Luke’s discovery earlier, “Rey? Luke did some research and found a way to kill the creatures that you had not mentioned.”

She paused in her muttering and cocked her head, “What is this?” She asked, her voice curious but laced with disbelief. 

“You may not like it,” he told her and she gave him a mirthless grin. 

“Anything that kills them is good, giant  _ rukhs _ .” 

He rolled his shoulders, unsure what her response to this would be, “Your blood; any blade dipped in your blessed blood will kill them.”

Her whole being went still, she didn’t even breathe as she stared at him as if transfixed. “Rey?” He said, after a few moments and she let loose a long hiss. 

“I have not heard this. You will show me this book now, giant  _ rukhs _ .”

She turned and immediately started forged through the water towards the steps. Kylo stood and followed more slowly, he felt a little weak and rather odd, something like a hum rippling over his skin. 

Rey was half dressed by the time he reached the steps and climbed out. He was surprised to find himself feeling a little self conscious as she turned to look at him, but she quickly turned her back to him with a small, embarrassed exhalation.

Kylo quickly pulled on his clothes and strode past her into the castle, Rey’s bare feet making soft slaps on the stone as she followed him.

They went straight to the library and despite the long day, they found Luke still there, poring over the ancient book he had been so excited over earlier.

The library was dimly lit, illuminated by just two lanterns placed on either side of Luke where he sat at the large table. He blinked owlishly as Kylo greeted him.

“Luke, can you show Rey the part in the book about using Trollskïr blood?”

Luke frowned but nodded, “Of course,” he said, as he flipped back some pages and turned the book as Rey came hesitantly forward. “It is here, though this is written in Old Gamal.”

Rey seemed not to hear him, she was hissing softly to herself as she tentatively reached out her fingers and gently brushed the leather the book was bound in. Her whole body jerked and she snatched her hand back as if the book had been on fire, and she took several paces backwards.

“I must see the front!” Her voice was low and there was an unnatural light in her eyes. 

Luke frowned, but flipped the book closed, “What is wrong?” 

Rey didn’t reply immediately, she edged nearer again and leant over the book, though she didn’t touch it again. “ _ Ceisiwr,”  _ she breathed, her tone hushed, almost awed. 

Kylo studied the symbol on the front cover, it looked like a curved pair of wings with a sword or spear that had a star or shining light at it’s base. He was fairly sure he had seen it somewhere before.

Rey stood back up, edging away from the book again as if it were dangerous. She looked up at them finally, almost as if she had forgotten they were there, “This” she flicked her fingers at the book, “This leather is made of the hide of  _ one of them, _ I can still feel his power, even now.” 

Luke snatched his own hand away from the cover as she continued, “This symbol? I had thought it a myth. There is a legend, of an order that hunted  _ them _ , killed  _ them,  _ as well as  _ Rakhâs _ … and Trollskïr… But the rumour of them is now no more than dust, or at least, so I had thought. We call them  _ Ceisiwr _ , that would be seekers or hunters in your basic.”

Luke looked back down at the book, “We called them Jedi. They hunted Vampýrum, which is our name for Marwo-”

Rey hissed sharply and slapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish, “You must not speak their name at night! It draws their eye!” She let go as Luke nodded, grimacing at his mistake.

“Thank you for stopping me, Rey… As I was saying, the Jedi hunted Vampýrum, which, from this book, meant, them, and Trollskïr. They also mention something else, which perhaps is the  _ Rakhâs  _ you mentioned. The order was lost to history once they had destroyed any darkness that existed in Tokuni and the lands beyond.”

Rey bared her teeth, it wasn’t really a grin though, “But they did not make it across the mountains to Ymerodraeth.” As soon as she finished uttering that last word, she looked angry at herself.

“Ymerodraeth? That is the name of your land?” Luke asked, expression suddenly alight with interest.

Rey grimaced, “It is. But it is best not to be spoken, I should not.” She flicked her fingers towards Kylo, “This ones blood, it is strong.” Luke’s eyes moved to Kylo, who found himself fighting a blush.

“So, my blood then? It can kill them? Tell this to me,” Rey said and Luke’s attention returned to her. 

Kylo let a quiet breath out, irritation filtering through him at his apparent weakness.

“Yes,” Luke gingerly opened the book again and found the right page. “Weapons anointed in Trollskïr blood, that is shed in sunlight and blessed by the Maker; is death to the  _ Deyði-eta, _ which is their name for the, well for  _ them _ … It is interesting that there seems to be only one name for Trollskïr though…” Luke trailed off, eyes clouding as his thoughts went off on a tangent.

Rey brought him back, “How much blood? And how fresh must it be?”

Luke blinked at her, Kylo could see the determined set of her shoulders as she stared at Luke.

Luke shrugged, “It depends on the number of,  _ them _ , and the age. For twenty?” He glanced at the book again, lips moving as he translated it in his head, “The blood must be no older than seven days and enough to cover whatever weapon it is daubed on.”

There was silence as they all thought. “What if, we put it on arrowheads?” Kylo asked, “They have small surfaces, so less blood would be needed and we can keep our distance from the, the  _ creatures _ .”

Rey looked up at him with a feral grin, “A good plan, giant  _ rukhs.  _ But can you shoot in the dark?”

Luke finally seemed to realise that Rey wasn’t just curious, that she was actually considering doing this. His brows drew down into a deep V as he looked at Rey.

“You cannot do this, Rey. That much blood loss would kill you, surely?”

She looked back at him steadily, “Perhaps. But this may be the only chance I am given. If I do not take it, I may run forever, leaving death in my wake. I will not live like that anymore.”

Kylo had the strangest urge to gather her into his arms, he clenched his fists at his sides instead. “If we bleed you but feed you, would that improve your chances? You said Jav and my blood was potent, what if all the Knights fed you?”

Rey tilted her head, in that predatory way she had when sizing up her next meal, “This is true, you Rakhâs, your blood is good. But it would weaken you, diminish the strength that you need to fight.”

“The book says seven days, does it not? If we were to do it after dawn, we would have almost two days to recover.”

Rey hissed to herself as she regarded him, absently tapping one finger against a sharp canine.  _ How had he not noticed her teeth before this? _ Now he knew what she was, there were so many things about her that screamed  _ other. _

“I can have a cow slaughtered,” Luke offered and Kylo suddenly remembered his uncles presence, “Make sure you boys get plenty of meat and rest tomorrow, and this may work.”

Rey moved over to the window she had stared out of earlier, hissing to herself as she climbed onto the sill and stood, gazing out into the night, eyes closed, nose filtering the air.

A long hiss escaped her and then she jumped lightly back down, “They are still two days away. We shall do this, if you are sure your Rakhâs will be willing.”

Kylo didn’t even have to consider, “They will be,” he told her, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. Rey looked at him askance but didn’t comment.

“I can round up some of the guards and servants, if the Knights are not enough.” Luke said, “Where would be.. Best? Perhaps a private room?”

“I can just take her into their bedrooms, once she is done we can leave them there to recover, that would probably be easiest,” Kylo said. “But, should we bleed you before or after? Or in between?”

Rey hesitated, then said with a grimace, “Before. Feeding may dilute the power and I have already fed from you recently…” She hissed softly before adding, “But you will have to carry me afterwards, I think.”  

Luke clapped his hands together, “Right. Kylo, you and Rey go and get some sleep. I will send a servant to wake you at dawn. I will get a bowl and knife from the Maker’s temple, it may help if the container is also blessed. Go and rest now.”

 

Kylo had been right, the Knights were more than happy for Rey to feed on them, Phasma looked a trifle jealous. “Phas, you need to be the one who looks after Rey when she is done, we may be out of it for a little while, especially Jav and I. And Rey may need more, so you may need to track down any others who are willing.” Phasma nodded at him, looking slightly mollified, and Kylo carried on, “We’ll do this in our rooms, so there is some measure of privacy… Ingalan, Zainmar and Leonmar you guys are up first then Jav and I will go last.”

They were gathered in Kylo’s room when Luke found them, baring a large copper bowl and copper ceremonial knife.

There was a sudden tension in the room as he put the bowl down and looked at Rey, “How should we do this?” Luke asked her, his demeanor suddenly awkward.

“Outside, beneath the sun.”

 

It was a glorious morning, the sun was already hot and the sky was a blue so pale it was almost colourless.

Rey settled herself on the already warm flagstones of the courtyard, in the full sun and leaned against the stone wall of the stable.

She looked up at them all, her eyes green and gold as her pupils shrank in the light. “I will do this, Luke,” she said and she gestured for him to give her the bowl and knife.

“Are you sure?” Phasma asked and Rey flashed her a small smile.

“Yes. I may…  _ change, _ if someone else hurts me. I must do this. But, I will need carrying once it is done.”  

She rested her left forearm over the bowl on her lap and took the knife in her hand, Kylo saw her chest rise and fall once as she took a breath, then she stabbed down, into her arm, hissing loudly. 

Kylo was immediately concerned she’d used more force than was strictly necessary, and then grew more so when she dragged the blade in her flesh along to make a long, deep wound.

She turned her arm and leant her head back against the wall, eyes closed as she muttered to herself, occasionally clenching her fist to help the blood flow.

They watched in silence as the bowl filled, Kylo could see her getting paler, and paler, then her eyelids fluttered and her head slipped onto her shoulder.

Phasma knelt and cautiously thumbed her eyelids back, there was no response. “Surely that is enough?” She asked as she turned to look at them, concern making her face tight.

Kylo looked at the bowl, then shook his head unhappily, “No, a little more, then she is done. Can you encourage some more out? Without her clenching her hand the flow has has slowed and the quicker we get this done the better.”

Once the bowl was almost full, Phasma gathered Rey’s limp and lifeless body up and they almost ran to Ingalan’s room, leaving Luke and Finn to carefully take the blood to the temple for blessing.

Ingalan lay awkwardly on his bed and Phasma laid Rey down beside him, then gently slapped her face to wake her.

It didn’t work. She slapped harder but Rey remained unresponsive. “ _ Helviti! _ What do we do?”

Kylo handed Ingalan a knife, “Make a small cut on your wrist or inside elbow, then try pressing it to her mouth.”

Ingalan didn’t hesitate, he sat up, pulled Rey against his chest and cut his wrist, pressing it to her lips.

When there was still no reaction from her, Kylo grabbed her head and pulled it back, then squeezed her jaw so her lips would open, and Ingalan dripped blood onto her teeth. For an agonising moment, she was still, then her lips moved, sucking the blood from her teeth and this time when Ingalan pressed his wrist to her mouth, her arms came up and she latched on, eyes still closed.

Ingalan gasped, but as Rey started to feed properly, his brief expression of pain melted away as his eyes closed and his bit his lip, a small moan sounding at the back of his throat.

“Time to leave,” Zainmar said and they exited swiftly, closing the door behind them.

Phasma’s face was whiter than usual, “For a moment there I thought we had killed her.”

Kylo didn’t respond, he was too busy hiding his immense relief that they had not.

“So, how do we know when she’s done with him?” Leonmar asked.

“Well, when she fed on Jav, it lasted perhaps ten minutes? But if she is this hungry, she may not stop, so we might need to pull her off him,” Zainmar said.

Kylo frowned, he hadn’t thought of that, “We may need to move Ingalan instead of Rey. If we offer her someone else instantly, that may make the transition easier.”

 

When the time came to do the switch, Rey was still unconscious, save for her instinct to feed. They ended up having to cut Zainmar as they had with Ingalan, to get her to move on. They managed though, and Kylo and Phasma supported Ingalan out of his room and dumped him on Kylo’s bed to recover.

Once it got to Kylo’s turn, Rey was slightly more lucid, and he didn’t have to cut himself to encourage her, this time she fed from the inside of his left elbow. 

Despite resolving not to touch her as he had last night, his control dissolved as the pain of her bite became pleasure.

They were on Ingalan’s bed, Rey was sitting between Kylo’s legs, his back rested against the wall and his free hand seemed to move of its own accord, caressing her breasts through her tunic as he bent to lay kisses the back and slope of her neck.

She responded instantly, arched into his touch even as she fed from him. Her skin tasted of sunlight, yet it was cool beneath his tongue, he moved his arm up so she was no longer leaning to one side, pressing his flesh against her mouth and she moaned as she drank from him.

The pleasure flooded through him in waves, and it seemed to spike every time he kissed her, bit her, or caressed her.

When he could hold back no longer, he slipped his hand into her leggings, a small needy sound came from her and she tilted her hips as he slid his fingers against her.

She was wet,  _ so wet _ and her sex felt as if it were on fire, he felt his own strain against his trousers in response. He was surprised when she ground her buttocks against him, a hiss escaping him at the friction and he started moving his fingers, pulling delicious sounds from her throat. And he could  _ feel _ her, feel what he was doing to her. If she hadn’t been firmly latched onto his arm, he would have just taken her there and then.

As his mind tried to picture what it would be like to be inside her, how it would feel, he was tipped over the edge. The orgasm blew his mind apart, and when she peaked just after him, he was carried further away still, they were surrounded by light, too brilliant to see clearly,  _ blinding _ , all encompassing, never ending light.

Kylo came back to himself before Rey did, her head was thrown back, eyes closed and her breath was coming in quick little pants.

He pulled his hand out of her leggings and adjusted her clothing, before slipping his slick fingers into his mouth. Even in his exhaustion, his member twitched as he growled low in his throat. She tasted sublime, unlike anything else that had ever passed his lips. He sucked each finger clean, then lay down on the bed, pulling Rey against his body, just enjoying the moment.

She stirred, eyelids fluttering as her mouth curved in a sleepy, satisfied smile. “Mmm,” she felt blindly for his arm and brought it to her mouth, licking the wound closed, before settling against him.

He could still feel her, part of her, as if she were in his head with him. They fell asleep, Rey wrapped in his arms, both their lips curved in smiles of satisfaction. 

    ****^V^****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Translations/meanings for Chapter 5:**
> 
> **Welsh (Trollskïr)**   
>  Ceisiwr = seeker (vampire hunter)  
> Ymerodraeth = empire
> 
> **Faroese (Gamal)**   
>  Deyði-eta= death eater (Marwolaeth)  
> Helviti = fuck but more severe that merely fuck


	6. Chapter 6

When Kylo woke, Rey was gone, though there was a still warm patch on the bed next to him, so she could not have been gone long.

By the light coming through the window he thought it may be midday. His stomach complained at it’s emptiness and as he stood he found his legs weak and he swayed as he made his way out of Ingalan’s room.

Phasma was just entering the wing of the castle that held the Knight’s rooms and she lengthened her stride when she saw him.

“Are you well? You look more pale than normal.” She asked as she reached him.

Kylo grimaced, “I’m fine. Where is she? Is she all right?”

He watched as Phasma restrained a smirk at his obvious concern, and straightened his spine, raising an eyebrow.

“She is weak, but was able to walk with a little help. She sealed the others wounds, then went to change and speak with Luke. I was just on my way to rouse you all- lunch is served and you all need to eat.” Phasma’s eyes dropped down his body then rose quickly as a slight blush tinged her cheeks, “I think you may all need to change your clothes first though.” She said as she looked carefully at the wall, then she grinned slightly, “I hope to convince her to bite me when this is over, I feel like I’m missing out. No wonder Finn didn’t tell anyone else.”

Kylo felt a blush of his own rise in his cheeks and swiftly went into his room to change, only to find Javiell asleep on his bed.

“We had to do some bed swapping.” Phasma said as she entered too.

“Wake him will you?” Kylo answered shortly as he pulled the clothing he needed out of the wardrobe and went to dress in Ingalan’s empty room; there was a pervasive scent of sex lingering in the warm air and he hurriedly opened the windows before pulling on his clothes.

 

They were quiet as they ate, the table was heaving under the weight of food and as Kylo had taken his seat he had wondered how many Knight’s Luke had been expecting to feed.

But he had underestimated his hunger, his body took control and he found himself consuming more food than he ever had before, the others, particularly Javiell, did the same.

“I am almost tempted to fight her,” Leonmar said, eventually breaking the silence, “If her bite does that, what would fucking her be like?”

Kylo clenched his teeth, an uncharacteristic flare of possessiveness flushed through him, even as his groin twitched at the thought.

“You may have to fight me first,” Zainmar said with a smile, “I too, am tempted.”

“It was…  _ intense _ .” Ingalan agreed, “I have never experienced anything like it, not even close.”

Javiell gave a small chuckle, “You know, she could have teeth down there, do not forget she isn’t human. I would be perfectly happy just being bitten periodically.”

“She doesn’t have teeth.” Kylo said absently as he considered his clean plate, trying to decide if he should eat more.

“Wait- how would you know?” Leonmar asked and Kylo shut his eyes briefly. 

He had not meant to say that, and clearly none of the others had done as he had, had touched her as he had. He felt that flare of possessiveness again but shoved it down as he looked up at them. “I may have… reciprocated.” He waggled his fingers at them and shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.

They all leaned towards him, faces alight with curiosity, “Probably best not to mention it to her though,” he added quickly.

“Sure, but, what was she like?” Leonmar asked and Zainmar nodded emphatically.

Kylo’s eyes darted to the door to make sure Phasma or anyone else wasn’t near, then allowed his lips to curve upwards, “Incredible… it sort of, connected us somehow, and it made everything so much more…  _ Just more _ .” He almost told them how she tasted but decided to keep that to himself.

Ingalan whistled, and Leonmar and Zainmar looked jealous.

“That almost makes me interested,” Javiell admitted and the others laughed, though Kylo could tell from Javiell’s expression he was half serious.

“We should definitely keep her.” Zainmar said, completely serious.

Ingalan quirked an eyebrow as he smiled, “She is not a slave, Zain, and I think she _ and _ Luke would kill you if you tried to buy her.”

Zainmar shrugged, “I’m sure we could figure something out… Or perhaps she could join us? She could be Phas’s squire or somesuch.”

“What’s this?” Phasma asked and they all turned to see her coming through the door to the dining room.

Leonmar smirked at her, “We want to keep the wrangler and are trying to work out how.”

Phasma rolled her eyes as she sat and started piling a plate with food. “Of course you are. And her  _ name  _ is  _ Rey _ … Perhaps you should leave thinking about that for now and focus on surviving the impending wave of death headed our way?” Her tone was light but it reminded them of the seriousness of their circumstances and they sobered up as the mood changed.

“Where is Rey now?” Javiell asked, “Is she well after all her blood loss?”

Phasma grimaced, a V drawing her pale brows down, “She insisted she was fine and took the horses out.”

“She did what?” Ingalan asked shocked.

At the same time as Kylo growled, “And you  _ let her _ ?!”

Phasma shrugged unhappily, “I was not with her when she left, she told Finn and he said he could not stop her.”

Kylo stood abruptly, then blinked in confusion, what did he plan on doing? Riding out and dragging her back to the castle?  _ This was ridiculous. _

He sat back down, glancing at the others expectant faces, “If she isn’t back two hours before sunset, perhaps we should look for her.”

They looked surprised, “Should not we do that now?” Ingalan asked.

Kylo rolled his shoulders, it wasn’t just he and Phasma, it seemed, who were…  _ concerned _ for the wrangler. He made himself shake his head, “No, we have more pressing matters to take care of. She made it clear they could not walk abroad under the sun, otherwise she is capable of looking after herself.” He knew his words lacked conviction somewhat, but the Knights of Ren  _ did not _ run around after girls, after tiny  _ Trollskïr _ , like nursemaids. Especially when they had a battle to plan.

 

The day went quickly after that, though Kylo often thought of Rey. He had instructed Finn to inform him the moment she returned and was relieved when Finn interrupted them in the library to report she had just ridden in.

The sky was still light and Kylo excused himself to go and confirm for himself that the wrangler was well.

He found her at the back of the stables, rubbing down a dappled silver grey stallion with a black mane and tail.

She froze as soon as he laid eyes on her, though she did not turn to face him. “You should not have gone out, it isn’t safe.” Kylo said as he approached her. He had merely meant to ask how she was, but his mouth had run away with him.

She snorted in amusement, “Daylight is safe,  _ giant rukhs _ . I do not lie when I say this.” 

Kylo paused a few paces from her still turned back, “Perhaps. But surely you are still weak?”

She turned then, her eyes fixed off to the side, not meeting his, “A little. Finn and Poe will feed me later. Riding has not harmed me and the horses grow restless inside, as do I.”

Kylo pulled her chin up and stepped closer so she was forced to meet his gaze, she hissed slightly, trying to pull away from him, “You should not touch me!”

“Is it so bad that I want to? I know you feel it too,” He said softly, still reeling inside, unsure why he was doing this.

Her cheeks flushed and she shut her eyes, “I should not hurt you, but I will if you do not let go.” Her hands were gripping his arms, he could feel the heat of her hold through his tunic sleeves, it lit his blood on fire. He let go her chin and arm, but before she could move he crushed his lips to hers. 

A small moan came from her throat and her lips parted under his, for a brief moment she kissed him back, the taste and feel of her lips and tongue, intoxicating.

Yet it did not last, she ripped herself away from him, skittering back as she breathed raggedly. “You must not. You do not… I did not remember until today…” She dragged an arm across her mouth, as if she could erase the memory of his lips on hers, her eyes were wide, desperate, “There is a reason Trollskïr prey is passive,” She finished cryptically. 

Kylo frowned, his heart was still racing and the object of it’s desire was still within reach, he moved towards her again, but she stepped back and he stopped. “Explain,” He demanded, voice rough.

She hissed at him, “You have… when you… did what you did as I fed, we began to form a  _ damul-bassu _ , a third time and we would be… we would be bound to one another, it is forbidden, another myth I had not believed in,  _ until you _ …” She trailed off, cheeks the red of a summer sunset, eyes darting around as if she were looking for an escape.

Kylo frowned, “What do you mean by bound?” He asked her softly, afraid if he spoke too loudly she would run from him.

His instinct was correct, though his soft tone made no difference, she opened her mouth to reply then shook her head, “ _ I cannot! _ ” She threw over her shoulder as she darted away from him, leaping up onto the wall and thence up onto the stable roof, running as if her feet were on flat ground rather than a sharply canting roof.

The sight made his blood run cold and anger at her seeming rejection burned in the pit of his stomach.

The horse she had abandoned turned its head to look at him, it’s gaze was oddly accusatory as it shifted it’s hooves.

Kylo shook himself and went to instruct the nearest stable hand to finish rubbing the animal down before he made his way back to the library.

 

“Is all well with Rey?” Phasma asked as soon as Kylo entered the large, blessedly cool room.

Kylo gave her a curt nod. “She seems fine,” He told her shortly before moving to sit at the large table and pulling the Jedi Codex over.

Rey had said,  _ damul-bassu _ , but she had offered no translation, so he just started on the section about  _ Trollskïr. _

It was slow going, the syntax was archaic, even though he had studied old Gamal. The texts also seemed to paint Trollskïr as monsters, no better than the Deyði-eta. It left him irritated, these holy fools may have rid Tokuni of evil, but they had never paused to consider that it was possible to be non-human and also not a monster.

Finally, he found a paragraph that gave him pause; 

 

‘ _ It is with sadness that I will speak of our fallen brother, Dessel Bane. Yet he did not fall honourably, but with his death we gained a new knowledge of the ones known as Trollskïr. The females, prized by the death-eaters, have a magic we did not know of till now. If a Trollskïr feeds on a Jedi or one who carries the Force in his blood, a connection is formed. On the third feeding, a blood-bond is formed. So it was with Dessel Bane, the treacherous Trollskïr, named Kyrisa, made him her own and when we found him again, he had changed. Now bound to her, he fought till his death to protect her from us, and when he died her scream of anguish was such that it caused our ears and noses to bleed, yet in her weakness for her lost mate, we cut her down, and avenged our lost brother. Now we knew of their insidious allure, we may guard against it. During feeding on one who has the force the Trollskïr are weak, making them easy to kill. Our eradication of them increases, as it pleases the Light and the Maker; truly Dessel Bane’s sacrifice had purpose and he was buried with all honours.’ _

 

Kylo blinked, then rubbed his eyes. The Jedi were fanatics, even if they had succeeded in their quest, the ways they had done it left a bitter taste in his mouth. And he still didn’t know the full extent of this blood-bond thing.

It basic,  _ Force _ meant magic, and the idea of him having magic in his blood was laughable... And yet Rey was clearly afraid, she had said the forming of a bond was forbidden, but by whom? The  _ Deyði-eta  _ or other  _ Trollskïr? _

He absently flipped through more pages as he thought, until something he read focused his attention. 

 

_ ‘Before we killed the Trollskïr, she called out loudly for ‘Rakhâs’, we did not know this word and paid it no heed as we finished her off. As we prepared to burn the abomination, Uruk descended upon us, snarling and spitting as they tried to recover the body from us. We dispatched them all- luckily there were no Death-eaters with them, for we had not been prepared…’ _

 

Kylo flipped hurriedly through the book till he found a description of  _ Uruk _ or flesh-eaters. It did not make for pleasant reading. 

 

_ ‘These are beasts of great strength, black as the night and full of evil. They stand tall and broad and can bare to move during daylight, though a bright sun weakens them. They eat the flesh of their victims and delight in violence. They are controlled by the Death-Eaters and protect the Trollskïr.  _

_ They are fearsome fighters, and without the Force to protect us, we would lose many more of us than we do…’ _

 

Kylo felt faintly sick. That was what Rey thought of them? Of giant, savage…  _ monsters? _

“If you glare anymore, the book may catch fire, Kylo.”

Kylo snapped his head up to find Luke looking at him from the otherside of the table.

“I take it you found the  _ Uruk _ ?” Luke asked mildly.

Kylo grimaced. “Yes,” He answered angrily.

His uncle sighed, poured two goblets of vin and pushed one over to Kylo, who accepted it and took a mouthful.

“Rey does not mean it unkindly I think; at least, not anymore.”

The other Knights, we had been studying maps at the other end of the table, moved over to peer at the book before Kylo.

“What’s this?” Zainmar asked as Phasma pulled the book over so she could read the page Kylo had stopped on.

Kylo didn’t answer, just gestured to the book and took another swallow of wine. Perhaps he should have gone with his original instinct and just killed Rey that first day…

Phasma laughed and Kylo looked up, surprised to see her grinning, “I can see why Rey calls you that, especially that first day, roaring as we charged after her, all dressed in black. And let's face it, we’re all taller and larger than the average Slør dweller.”

The other Knight’s chuckled with her as they finished reading, Phasma had always been better at Gamal than they were.

“Well it’s still insulting, so we should definitely refer to her as tiny  _ Trollskïr  _ until she stops,” Zainmar added as he continued to chuckle.

Phasma shot him a glare, “Speak for yourself, she doesn’t call me  _ rukhs _ .”

“I think perhaps it is time to pause for the evening meal,” Luke said lightly, “We need a break and you boys need to eat.”

Kylo shut the Jedi Codex with a thump and stood, unkinking his back from hunching over the table as he followed the others to the dining room

Eating on the terrace seemed unwise for the time being, so instead they ate in the room the Knights had taken their lunch in.

The table was again almost groaning under the load of food, and Kylo found that he was very, very hungry.

“Does Rey never join to you to eat, Luke?” Phasma asked, less intent upon her food as her fellow Knights.

Luke shook his head, “No, she tends to eat alone as far as I know, and my housekeeper informed me she would quit if I brought a savage to my table.” His uncle’s eyes were twinkling but his tone was half serious, “Besides, she only eats when it is dark.”

Phasma tilted her head as she finished her mouthful before saying, “Why is that? She said she doesn’t normally…  _ feed _ , during daylight either.”

Luke shrugged, “I am not sure, despite all the information Rey has given us, I think it only scratches the surface, though I have learned some more from the Jedi Codex too. I can only posit that eating and feeding after dark is a tradition ingrained in  _ Trollskïr  _ from their  _ Deyði-eta  _ masters.”

Kylo wondered again what life had been like for Rey before she left the lands beyond the Svartideyði.

“How old do they live? The Vampýrum?” Ingalan asked curiously and Kylo’s gaze was drawn back to Luke.

“From what the Jedi Codex tells me, the _ Deyði-eta  _ are deathless unless starved or killed, it seems they are made up of different bloodlines, or clans and there is, or was, infighting. The  _ Uruk _ , though they seemed to be easily dispensable by the  _ Deyði-eta _ , lived the same length as a human…  _ Trollskïr  _ were much rarer even then, and there is less lore on them in the Codex, but from what I can gather they live longer than humans but are not deathless.”

“So how old is the wrangler?” Leonmar asked.

Luke shrugged, “I do not know. Though I think she is quite young, I cannot say if that is young for a human or young for a  _ Trollskïr. _ ”

Phasma slid her plate away and turned to Luke, “If you do not mind, I would excuse myself. I wish to see how Rey is doing.”

Luke nodded, “Of course, Phasma. You may find her in the stables, she is very fond of the horses.”

Kylo felt a flare of jealousy as he remembered Rey had mentioned she would feed on Finn and Poe this evening, Finn was shy enough but Poe had the easy smile of a ladies man. He didn’t like to think of them together,  _ alone _ , with how vulnerable she got as she fed…

He stood too, “With your leave, Luke, I would like to see how she is as well.”

 

The rest of the Knights came too. Luke was right and they did find her in the stables. In an empty stall they found Finn lying in the straw, eyes closed and a smile on his face, next to him, Rey was lying on top of Poe, who was moaning quietly as she drank from his throat while his hands stroked the skin of her sides beneath her tunic.

Kylo noticed Poe’s hips start moving and he growled and went to step into the stall but Phasma blocked him.

“Perhaps you boys should wait outside,  _ you  _ got privacy when she fed on you after all. I will wait with her.” She pushed Kylo’s chest gently but firmly when he didn’t move, “Go on Kylo, I will keep watch,” She said the last looking squarely into his eyes as if she could read his intention to pull Rey off Poe.

Kylo hesitated then gave her a curt nod after a particularly loud groan from Poe - it sounded as if she would be done soon anyway, and he trusted Phasma.

They cooled their heels outside as the mantle of evening covered the sky in deep blue. 

“I do not know why, but I dislike how Poe was touching her,” Javiell said quietly.

Kylo looked away from the deepening twilight with surprise.

“I am pretty sure you did similar, the first time you fed her, Jav,” Ingalan said dryly, “And Kylo definitely took it further than that.” 

Javiell shrugged and Zainmar shook his head, “That’s different, we are the Knights of Ren… and I agree with Jav, I don’t like that Poe, he’s a flúgva-piltur.”

Leonmar snorted at the insult and Ingalan smiled, “To be honest, I don’t like it any more than you do, but Finn and Poe are the last line of defense,  _ we _ are the first. As such, we need to keep up our strength and cannot feed her again, so just calm down and accept it.”

Zainmar muttered something too low to hear and Kylo nodded to Ingalan. His brother was right, if Kylo wanted to keep Rey, and the rest of the Slør safe, there were some things he had to accept. Kylo breathed out carefully, letting his anger go with the air as it left his lungs.

Phasma appeared with Rey cradled in her arms, “She’s out cold and I thought it… best if I take her to the room she shares with Finn.”

Kylo felt his skin flush, Rey shared a room with  _ Finn?! _

“Wait, why isn’t she in a room with the serving girls?” Leonmar asked, sounding almost indignant.

Phasma rolled her eyes at him, “They fear her and Rey didn’t trust them anyway. Plus it meant her feeding on him went unseen.” And with that, she started for the castle.

“Wait,” Kylo found himself saying as he hurried to catch up with Phasma, “Take her to my room… Just in case she wakes and needs feeding again. Finn will be too weak and I can go and find someone else for her.”

Phasma gave him a level look but nodded anyway, “I suppose that makes sense. It is a shame my blood is no good to her.”

Zainmar laughed, “Are you sure you do not like girls, Phas?”

Phasma glared at him, “Ingalan, would you do the honours please? I have my hands full.”

Ingalan smiled and punched Zainmar in the arm.

“Ow!” Zainmar cried indignantly.

Phasma grinned, “My thanks… and to answer your question, yes I am sure. Though, I think I could make an exception for this one.”

She laughed at Leonmar and Zainmar’s suddenly excited expressions, “Before you two býttlingur ask, no, you could not watch.”

They reached Kylo’s room with Zainmar and Leonmar grumbling about Phasma being no fun and how she was welcome to watch them, or  _ join  _ them, anytime.

 

Rey did not surface for a while, and by the time she did, the others had gone off to sleep or check over weapons.

Kylo had sat in the chair by the window, uncomfortably aware that if he joined Rey on the bed he would not be able to stop himself touching her. Instead, he studied her.

Her face was marked by a little frown, but she lay perfectly still, her chest rose and fell only slightly, making him wonder in what other ways  _ Trollskïr _ were different to humans.

Even though she was unrefined, she was beautiful, her golden tanned skin seemed to glow softly, her rich brown hair had a sheen to it and slight copper highlights, probably from the sun.

Kylo remembered how silky her skin had felt, how firm her limbs were, slender but strong...

Her eyes opened slowly at first and she shifted slightly, curling towards him. Her eyelids revealed those otherworldly hazel eyes, for a moment she just stared at him, then she hissed, baring her canines as she did and sat up abruptly.

It was too fast though and she swayed where she sat, bringing a hand to her head as she glared around her. “I should not be  _ here, _ giant  _ rukhs _ ,” She told him angrily, and tried to stand.

Kylo was up off his chair and caught her before as her legs gave way, and deposited her back on his bed, then stepped carefully away, “I wanted to make sure you were well, tiny  _ Trollskïr, _ and to see if you needed to feed on someone else.”  

She seemed to deflate somewhat at his words, “I think that was enough for now,” She flashed him a wicked smile, “Though, I am always hungry.”

Kylo swallowed, “Then shouldn’t you feed? You need to be as strong as possible, surely?”

But she shook her head, “Too much and I will have the  _ Damul Azlâl  _ and that can be dangerous, to me as well as any humans around.”

“What is that?” Kylo asked, wishing she would stop using that incomprehensible language of hers.

Rey cocked her head, “Perhaps, blood drunkenness, in your basic, giant  _ rukhs _ . The effect is like too much of what you call alkohol on a human, only a Trollskïr on too much blood just wants…  _ more _ . She wants to feed more and to… do other things... It does not matter,” She flicked her fingers dismissively, “I am too careful to let this happen.”

_ Other things?  _ Did she mean.. Kylo was distracted from that train of thought by Rey attempting to stand again.

“If you do not sit or lie back down, I will tie you down. You need to rest, tiny  _ Trollskïr _ .”

She glared at him but sat, “Why do you call me this? Phasma, she uses my name.”

Kylo smirked, “And I too will use it, when you stop calling me giant  _ rukhs _ .” She snorted and Kylo continued, “Though I think giant  _ rukhs _ is much more insulting than tiny Trollskïr; am I really that beastly?”

Her eyes jerked up to fully meet his, there was a little flush to her cheeks as if she knew she had been found out, but she merely said, “When first I met you, yes.”

Perhaps he deserved that, he sidestepped responding though, “You should rest,” he reiterated.

She shook her head, “I wish to check on  _ their  _ progress first.”

There was no need to ask her whom she meant and he had to concede it would be good to firm up the timeline.

“Very well. But I will carry you,” She opened her mouth to protest but he just scooped her up before she could, “Where would be best?” He asked, trying to ignore the feel of her in his arms and the scent of her skin and hair, that were now so close to his face.

She made an indignant sound and tried struggling but she really was weak and she seemed to realise this as he tightened his grip, unmoved by her efforts.

“The room of books,” She told him stiffly, not looking directly at him.

 

They found Luke, Phasma and Ingalan in the library too, still working on plans and research.

Luke and Phasma both looked concerned when Kylo entered, with Rey still in his arms.

“Are you well, hermaður systir?” Phasma asked her as she got up from her seat.

“I am fine, the giant _rukhs,_ he refused to let me walk,” Rey answered testily.

Phasma arched an eyebrow at Kylo, who rolled his eyes, “She could barely stand unaided.”

Rey hissed at him quietly but he ignored her and carried her to the window she had used last night.

“Set me down, I need to concentrate.”

Kylo noticed a slight flush to her cheeks, and set her down gently, putting a steadying hand on her arm as she wobbled. 

She shook it off irritably, “Hush now,” She told him and leaned against the window sill as she closed her eyes and filtered the air carefully.

She emitted a long, low hiss and shuddered, muttering to herself as she stood, eyes still closed. Kylo noticed her skin had raised in goosebumps, when she opened her eyes, he saw her pupils had narrowed unnaturally to slits, but they expanded back to roundess as they readjusted.

“Still a day away, they may strike tomorrow night, or rest and strike then next, I cannot know for certain… The ancient… I do not know who it is, but he is strong, I do not know him, but… I may not be as effective as I was before…” She turned away from them back to the window and shuddered again, “That strength, that  _ hideous strength _ … It will weaken me once I get close… It will take many arrows to fell him… It may be needful for me to shed more blood.”

Kylo’s frown was mirrored by Phasma and Luke.

“Are you sure that is necessary? You already gave a lot.” Luke asked her gently and she turned back to look at him with wide, troubled eyes.

“I think it must be… It will be diluted, but better than no more at all… I am afraid... perhaps, I should go to him, it is selfish to bring this upon you all.”

Kylo clenched his fists at his sides, not trusting himself to speak, but Phasma put his thoughts into words perfectly.

_ “Over my dead body, Rey!  _ They do not know our plans, we will have surprise on our side - Luke has recalled the garrison stationed at the Slør pass, besides the Knights there will be a hundred guards! Do not lose heart, mín hermaður systir.”

“Not losing heart is bravery, Phasma, I fear this may be just be foolish.”

Phasma shook her head vehemently, but Luke spoke before she could, he placed a hand firmly on Rey’s shoulder as he looked her in the eyes, “I would agree with you, if we did not have the Jedi Codex, but after studying it thoroughly, I can assure you that we have a good chance of prevailing, Rey. You know I would not lie to you.” He waited for her to nod in acknowledgement before adding, “And if you are sure, some more blood may be prudent.”

Rey nodded tiredly, “Of course, though I do not think we should wait till sunrise, perhaps if I shed it in your temple, it would be almost as good?”

Luke nodded, “Now then?”

Rey had barely nodded before Kylo scooped her up in his arms again, she didn’t even struggle as they made their way outside to the Maker’s temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for delay in updating! Thank you so, so much to everyone who had commented or left Kudos, you guys are lovely ♥


	7. Chapter 7

****^V^****

 Veldi and Gandur were hidden by clouds, making their path through the gardens to the Maker’s temple shrouded in deep shadows. Kylo’s skin itched as he walked, uncomfortable being out of the safety of the castle, but Rey did not give any indication that there was anything evil near at hand, so he held his peace.

The temple was old and had been standing there before Ljósur was built. Despite its age, it stood firm, built of bluff sandstone blocks with a small domed roof, the gilt long since worn away by time and the elements.

Before they entered, Luke lit a lamp that had been by the doorless entrance, the only window being one at the centre of the dome.

But as Kylo ducked his head to enter, Rey suddenly hissed loudly and started struggling in his arms.

Surprised, he stepped back out, as Luke brought the lamp up so they could see Rey’s face, they found it pale, her eyes were wide, the pupils slitted and her sharp canines were barred in a rictus as she panted.

She hissed and turned her face away from the light of the lamp, the skin of her arms was an angry red, as if she had been burned.

Luke shut his eyes briefly before saying, “My sincere apologies, Rey. I forgot the temple was supposedly warded against _Vampýrum_ , I had not given the legend any credence till now.”

Kylo could feel Rey’s muscles tense in his arms, even as they trembled. With a great effort she lifted her head back to the lamp, her eyes glowed in the light it cast.

She licked dry lips before answering, “Then we must do this quickly. I will put my arm over the threshold and will bleed it there. I regret I can go no further.”

“You should not go in at all, just those few seconds have marked your skin, Rey.” Phasma said, her tone attempted to be reasonable, but failed somewhat.

Rey shook her head, “It must be done. The sooner the better. Just do it fast, yes? Put me down, _rukhs_.”

Kylo held onto her tightly, watching Luke as he battled with the decision, but then he sighed and nodded at Rey, then to Kylo. “If you are certain, Rey.”

She nodded and Luke disappeared into the Temple to fetch the copper bowl and ceremonial knife.

Kylo set Rey carefully down by the door, he’d thought to lean her against the wall but even the touch of the stone that made the temple caused her to flinch and hiss with pain, so he sat down with her, and drew her to lean against him.

Phasma joined them on the floor on Rey’s otherside, but she shrugged away from them both. “You must be careful, do not touch me. This magic in these stones, it strips my essence away.”

And they could see what she meant, she had never looked so _inhuman_ , she radiated _other_ , _predator, danger._ It disturbed Kylo how alluring he found her in this moment, luckily he was distracted by Luke returning.

“Luke, move back, I must make the cut myself,” Rey’s inflection was sibilant as she edged nearer to the invisible line only she could sense.

Luke placed the bowl down with the knife and stepped back, deeper into the temple. Phasma looked at Kylo and he gave her a small nod and they both moved slightly further away from Rey.

Rey’s whole body was taught as a bow string as she hissed a line of curses in her own tongue then grasped the blade and roughly cut her already red arm and placed it over the bowl.

Her curses turned to a high, thin, keening, it wasn’t loud but it set Kylo’s teeth on edge, brought bile to his throat as it ricocheted inside his head and seemed to vibrate in his lungs.

The bowl was only a third full when Rey toppled over, if Phasma hadn’t darted in to steady it, that would had fallen over too.

Kylo yanked the prone form of his tiny _Trollskïr_ out from the temple door as Luke rushed out of the temple to kneel beside them, quickly wrapping the wound in her arm tightly in a bandage.

He was barely done when Kylo stood, “Rouse the others Phasma, and anyone else who will not fight tomorrow, she will need more than last time, she has more to heal.”

And with that, he ran back to the castle, Phasma hot on his heels, leaving Luke to deal with the blood.

Kylo made Javiell sit this one out as he had fed her twice already, the others were quick to offer their arms, though none of them were grinning now.

The skin on Rey’s beautiful silken skin was blistered, her arms were worst, but her face and neck had caught it too when she had fallen into the temple doorway.

Phasma tracked down six others, though Kylo suspected she had dragged them there rather than asked. None of them looked happy to be there and one of them was fetched away by an angry, cursing wife who spat “Hon-marra! Hon-marra!” When she saw Rey feeding from Zainmar.

The woman and her pale husband were kicked out of the room by Phasma, who was white with fury at the insult.

Once Rey had fed on the eight available men, her skin was whole again and her colour returned, though she was still deeply asleep.

Now Kylo allowed himself to breath easy once more. “She can sleep with me tonight, I can fetch someone else if she wakes with the need,” He told Phasma as they helped the last donor out of the room, Phasma just nodded tiredly - she looked as drained as he felt.

It was a measure of his exhaustion that on his return to his room, he merely undressed and slipped into bed beside Rey, not even appreciating the feel of her against his body as he swiftly fell into a deep sleep.

His dreams were a muddled mess of monsters until he felt a sharp, searing pain in his neck and awoke to find Rey firmly attached to his throat.

He was unsure if this was a dream or not and he couldn’t bring himself to care either way as the pain morphed into that overwhelming pleasure.

He pulled her body against his, then dragged her leggings and underwear down so he could reach that hot, sweet place between her thighs. As soon as he brushed his fingers against her, she moaned, rocking her hips slightly against his touch, she was deliciously wet and his mouth watered as he remembered the taste of her.

He slipped a finger inside her, she whimpered and rocked her hips more insistently, so he started thrusting gently as he worked his thumb on her most sensitive spot, and then she was shuddering against him, coming apart as her body clenched and spasmed, and again, he could feel it, but this time, he lost himself completely in it, his orgasm burned through him, seeming to sear his very veins.

When he returned to himself, he found that he was already hard again, rock solid and aching. Sometime during their combined climax Rey had let go of his neck and he roughly pulled her mouth to his own, uncaring that he could taste his own blood mixed in with her sweet saliva.

Kylo ripped off her remaining clothing, then moved his mouth to cover one of her breasts, she arched her back and he returned one of his hands to her throbbing sex, her hips jerked and she moaned and he was so drunk on his lust, on her magic, that he lost any reason he had left.

He gripped her hips, lined himself up and thrust inside her, she was tight, unbelievably tight, but _so wet_. Her spine arched and she threw her head back as she gasped, her mouth open and canines bared, as he worked his way in, till he was fully sheathed by her.

Her muscles clenched around him and he growled, pulling her down to him so he could feel her pressed against his body as he began to move.

Her lips found his and she gasped and panted into his mouth as he took her, as he ran his hands over her skin, caressing her sides, arms, buttocks, anything he could reach, he only knew he wanted _more_ , he wanted _everything_ , he wanted _her_.

They came together, he tried to hold off but as her body gripped him like a vice, as she quivered inside and out, as she bit his neck again, he could hold it back no longer. The very air around them seemed to grow thick with energy, Kylo wasn’t sure if the sparks he saw were inside his mind or really in the air, as it hummed, laden with fulfillment.

He held Rey tightly against him, unwilling to leave the embrace of her body as she lazily licked his wounds closed.

As he came back to himself, he awaited her hiss of fury, fully expecting her to fight him or scream, yet he couldn’t seem to muster any guilt over his actions, it had felt too… _right._ Almost as if he had been led to this by something, perhaps fate, perhaps destiny.

Once their skin had cooled he heard her sigh, there was a soft hiss to it, but only slight, and to his surprise she snuggled against him.

_“Halwâ Mahal_ ,” she whispered against his chest and he looked down to see her eyes, shining in the darkness. “We should not have done that... yet I could fight it no longer. You are mine now, _Kylo Ren_.”

At the sound of his name upon her lips, at her claiming of him, _where he had thought he had claimed her,_ his sex twitched inside her and she left loose a soft gasp, followed by a low moan, as he somehow hardened inside her.

He rolled them over, so he was above her now, still sheathed inside her as he grew again, she writhed beneath him, he savoured the sight for a moment, then started to move, pulling out almost completely before he thrust himself back inside her already clenching walls, he repeated it, loving how she jerked every time he thrust. He could feel as the pain and pleasure mingled in her head, knew that she loved the combination, he leant down to bite her neck, licking and sucking as one of his hands squeezed a breast, somehow keeping his rhythm steady, even as her nails bit into the skin of his arms, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

As he bit her neck again she came, convulsing beneath him as he continued to thrust, once, twice, and on the third he could not deny himself anymore, her clamping muscles and still thrusting hips milking him for all he was worth.

Kylo collapsed on top of her as he shuddered, gasping against her neck as her hands gripped his sides, digging her nails into his flesh, still shuddering herself…

****  


Kylo awoke, blinking in the early morning light streaming through his uncurtained window. It had not been a dream, Rey lay against him, limbs tangled with his.

Her eyes opened as he looked at her, her canines peaked out as she smiled at him, “ _Mine_ ,” she said, eyes green and golden like the valley grasses, “ _Yesthar-ê_.”

Kylo pulled her against him more firmly, but kept his eyes on her face, “You need to translate for me, tiny _Trollskïr._ I do not like not knowing the names you call me.”

He was surprised by the blush that crept into her cheeks, “That bad was it?” He asked lightly and she shifted against him, eyes looking down at his chest.

“Not bad… _yesthar-ê_ , it means... I am not so good at translating.” He narrowed his eyes at her- she was lying. She had the grace to blush even more before saying, “It means, it means something like... supreme mate.”

Kylo couldn’t help the chuckle that her words brought forth, she squirmed against him, an indignant and embarrassed hiss escaping her.

He gripped her more tightly and placed his lips against hers, “Mín yvirstaddur konufólk.” he said softly, “It carries the same meaning,” then he kissed her gently, but it deepend quickly as she opened her mouth to his.

As his hands stroked down to her legs though, she winced slightly and he pulled back with concern, “Did I hurt you?”

Rey’s cheeks were flushed again, though it may have been from the desire that swirled in the air around them. “I ache a little,” she admitted.

Kylo sighed inwardly, regretting what he said next, “We can wait a while, perhaps bathing would help, and we probably need to clean ourselves anyway.”

Her eyes widened, “It is daylight!”

He chuckled, “It is, but it is very early, though I am afraid we must collect a change of clothes for you on the way, I think the ones you wore last night are nothing but scraps now.”

“ _Rukhs_ indeed _,”_ She said, but she was giving him that grin again, the one that showed the points of her canines.

“Indeed?” He asked deceptively softly, before rolling them both out of bed and gathering her to him as he stood, holding her firmly, “One day soon, I shall _eat you._ But I promise you, you will enjoy it.” And so saying, he carried her hissing, protesting, and wriggling form to the baths.

Thankfully, his words proved true, for they encountered no one, which was doubly fortunate because by the time he was stepping down into the hot water of the baths, he was rock hard and throbbing.

Rey hissed, long and low as her body met the water after his - she was still held in his arms. She glanced down at her legs then back up to his face, uncertainty flickering across hers, “I have bled, that is... normal?”

Kylo eased her slowly into the water, “For the first time, yes. Afterwards, there should be no more… How are you feeling now? After the blood loss?”

Surprise crossed her features, as if she had forgotten about her sacrifice, “I feel good…” She said slowly, a small frown appearing on her delicate features, “Strong. There is no weakness in me… I do not understand this... _unless_ … There really is magic in your blood, _yesthar-ê_ ,” She closed her eyes as she inhaled slowly, “Now we are bonded, _I feel it.”_

Kylo’s skin stood up in sudden goosebumps, despite the heat of the water steaming around them.

“And what of you?” She asked as she opened her eyes again, “I took more than I should. Your forgiveness - I should have warned you about sleeping near a depleted Trollskïr,” She blushed, “Sometimes, with proximity and need, we feed unconsciously.”

To Kylo’s surprise, he realised he felt as Rey did - strong, _powerful_ even, no hint of the weakness he had felt yesterday, he took one of her hands in his and held it against his heart, which was beating steadily in his chest, “I am well, my tiny _Trollskïr._ Truly; this bond seems to have strengthened us both.”

Rey glared up at him, “That is good, but I am not tiny, you are a giant, _rukhs_.”

“I must disagree, tiny _Trollskïr,_ ” He said and went to grab her, but she danced away from him and dived under the water almost soundlessly.

Kylo surged after her, yet though he watched carefully, no trail of bubbles surfaced to indicate where she was and she proved difficult for him to spot, clearly swimming along the bottom.

He had paused, trying to work out where she had got to, when her small, hot body leapt onto his back, gripping his torso with her arms and legs as laughter bubbled out of her, her teeth grazing his shoulder.

His surprise turned immediately to lust at the feeling, and he reached back to palm between her legs, she immediately gasped, her limbs loosened and he pulled her around his body till she faced him, he cupped her behind with his hands and moved purposely to the underwater stone bench.

Kylo sat with her in his lap, her sex resting against his as he claimed her mouth hungrily, and when he caught her lower lip between his teeth, she moaned against his mouth as her nimble fingers found his nipples, pinching almost painfully.

The sensation spiked his need and he urgently lifted her hips and pushed inside her with one thrust. Her back arched as she threw her head back, her nails dug into the meat of his shoulders, her hips rocked as he drove into her again and again, his breathing as ragged as hers.

The world narrowed down to just them, just the joining of their bodies, just the connection that had been forged with blood and sex and magic.

As Kylo felt her coming close to completion he growled, “Bite me, kærur Rey, _bite me_ ,” as he insistently pulled her body out of its arch and back towards him.

She hissed with pleasure, her pupils shrunk to slits as she bared her canines and obliged him; and she didn’t hold back, sinking her teeth into his throat.

The stimulation sent them both into a shining abyss, both shuddering as her body spasmed and he emptied himself inside her as she drank from him.

Little aftershocks flooded through them, and her lips lost contact with his neck as she jerked and panted. He ran his hands lazily over her back and arms till she calmed, sighing as she leant her head against his shoulder.

After some time, she moved her mouth to his neck, licking over the wound then moved her head down to glide her tongue over the bloody crescents where her nails had scored his flesh.

He moaned softly at her touch, moving his hands to caress her small breasts, and they may have started all over again, but Rey suddenly froze, the abrupt alertness and perfect stillness eldritch even now. Next she was off him and four foot away, dipping down into the water as she blushed furiously.

Then Kylo heard it, voices, coming closer and if he was not mistaken one of those voices was Luke’s… _well this could be awkward._

Rey hissed softly, eyes wide and darting, “We did not collect clothes!”

For Kylo, that wasn’t much of an issue, nakedness wasn’t an embarrassment in Tokuni as communal baths were the norm, but he could imagine Rey swooning from horror.

“They will have brought towels with them, they should be by the steps, you could take one of those?” He said softly.

She nodded, “Yes” She hissed softly back, “I will leave under the water.” And with that, she disappeared under the surface with nothing so much as a splash to mark her departure.

Kylo felt somewhat bereft at her hasty escape and he tried distracting himself by washing his hair and body, after last night and this morning, it was sorely needed. He was soon joined by Luke and a few of the castle guards.

“Kylo! You are up early; is all well with Rey?” Luke asked as he sat down next to him.

Absurdly, Kylo felt a blush creep into his cheeks and heat his ears, thought hopefully Luke would attribute it to the heat of the water, “She was well when I last saw her… How are the preparations going? Was the amount of blood she gave sufficient do you think?”

“That is good, I confess I was concerned for her. I hope what she gave is enough, I do not think we could ask for more. The preparations go well, the pass garrison should be here in a few hours, and I remembered something your father and Chewbacca taught me years ago, a secret recipe for combustibles that ignite upon impact, Poe, Iolo and Muran are making some up now. Those used with slings alongside the fire arrows and blessed arrows, should make quite an impact. Then there will be your Knights and any other elite fighters, myself included, with blessed weapons, to clean up any of the _Deyði-eta_ left… I am unsure about including Rey in that though, she mentioned the Ancient one she speaks of, may weaken her, we may not be able to protect her and ourselves should it become necessary.”

Kylo nodded, he had been thinking the same thing, though perhaps for other reasons - he didn’t want his tiny _Trollskïr_ anywhere near the _Deyði-eta._ “I agree, though we may have to tie her down, I doubt she will like the idea of staying behind.”

Luke laughed, “You are right. Yet I doubt we will find anyone willing to do the deed.”

Kylo smirked, “The Knights and I will take on that challenge, does the castle have any cells? Simply tying her down may not be enough.”

Luke sobered slightly, “Do you really think that will be necessary? There are a few cells here, they are seldom used, but are secure.”

Kylo gave his uncle a wry look, “Her teeth would make short work of any rope or binding, so yes, I think it will be necessary.”

“That is a very good point,” Luke said resignedly as he nodded.

Kylo left the baths, snagging one of the towels himself before walking to his room to dress. He was just finishing when Phasma entered, looking concerned.

“Have you seen Rey? I was hoping to spar with her this morning… why are you up so early?”

Kylo shrugged nonchalantly, “We woke early, though I haven’t seen her for a while, did you try the stables?”

“I had not thought to look there…” Phasma tilted her head as she regarded him, then the tangled mess of his bed, her eyes widened, “ _You didn’t?!”_

Kylo looked at his bed and realised there was no way anyone would believe he had not recently had sex in it. “We did,” He told her levelly, unsure what her reaction would be, still unsure what her feelings for Rey were.

Phasma folded her arms and narrowed her snapping blue eyes, “I hope it was while she was awake, Kylo Ren,” she said, her tone dangerous.

Kylo rolled his shoulders, “I think you could say she initiated it, actually.”

“Well aren’t you lucky,” Phasma said softly, then grinned, “So, no blades involved then? I’m almost disappointed.”

Kylo relaxed, “No blades, I cannot say that _I_ am disappointed by that, though.”

Phasma laughed, “Come, tell me all about it over breakfast, but before you leave, I would recommend opening the window and pulling your blankets back,” She finished with a smirk.

They took their food and te out onto the terrace, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it soaked into their similarly pale skin.

Kylo told Phasma an edited version of his night and morning with Rey, he had to pause as she doubled over with laughter over the way they had parted with the arrival of Luke.

“Oh, Kylo.” She said as she wiped tears from her eyes, “You know Zainmar and Leonmar are going to be horribly jealous, don’t you?”

Kylo smirked as he shrugged, “When destiny calls, you must obey.”

“Destiny? Are you exaggerating or is there more to this story?”

Kylo sighed, but he didn’t like to keep things from his Knights, and this seemed like something significant, so he explained the bond as best he could, still unsure of most of the details and implications himself.

Phasma was silent for a while as she digested the information, gazing inward as she thought.

Presently she focused her gaze back on Kylo again and to his surprise she grinned, “You do realised you basically just got married, right?”

Kylo froze, Phasma was right, _Maker_ , she was right. Despite his and Rey’s exchanged spousal terms, it hadn’t occurred to him what it had meant, he had been so caught up in the moment.... _But they were now bound..._

Phasma laughed at his expression, “Your mother, the _Princess_ , is going to kill you.”

****^V^****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**The Rule Of Three**

****_Once, Twice, Thrice To Feed_

_Paired With Pleasure To Fill The Need_

_Then Once, Twice, Thrice To Mate_

_This Makes A Bond, Only Death Can Break_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After writing this chapter, it kinda made me think of the Buffy episode, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’… and two songs- Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nail by Poisonblack...  
> I am sorry to say updates may be coming more slowly than they should, your forgiveness. Thank you so much for all your comments and kudos, so glad people are enjoying this ♥
> 
>  
> 
> **Translations/meanings for chapter 6 & 7:**
> 
>   **Neo-Khuzdul (Vampire)**
> 
> Darmul-Bassu = bond blood  
> Damul Azlâl = blood drunk  
> Halwâ Mahal = sweet god  
> yesthar-ê = my supreme partner/mate
> 
> **Faroese (Gamal)**
> 
> Uruk - Flesh Eaters (Orcs)  
> Flúgva-piltur = fly boy (insult)  
> Býttlingur = fool(s) (more than fools, extra foolish)  
> Hon-marra = she devil/ female incubus  
> Mín yvirstaddur konufólk = my superior mate/spouse/partner  
> Kærur = beloved/dear


End file.
